The Road is Destiny
by Firefly Lantern1
Summary: A hiccup in fate brings Julie to Middle-Earth, where she realizes life there is 'one long, peril-wrought camping trip'. She must find her way in the world with the help of a rag-tag band of nine journeyers who carry a ring and a dark secret.
1. Chp 1: The Beginning

Title: The Road is Destiny  
Author: Firefly Lantern   
Rating: PG-13 for language and violence  
  
Author Note: [kind of mean, but I'm making a point here] Okay, here it is. I openly admit I   
have written a Mary Sue type story ::gasp!::. And you know what? I don't care  
what any "Tolkien Purists" have to say about it. Whine all you would like, but please,   
if you are going to tell me this story isn't HARDCORE Tolkien or whatever belittling   
tidbits you'd like to throw my way, please email me instead of taking up space on the   
review board. Thankies. ^.^. This story is for FUN. I am not trying to create a   
masterpiece in the style of Tolkien, I prefer creativity and originality to redundancy.   
Okies? An open mind is a wonderful thing! Have fun on the journey.   
Hang in with me here!   
  
Disclaimer: JRR owns the LOTR characters. Any other modern things mentioned here belong   
to the makers, etc.   
  
Oh, and P.S. Legolas IS very attractive. Pretty boy = attractive to girls.   
I personally love Orlando Bloom and the way he portrayed Legolas. So deal :P hee hee ^.-   
  
  
  
  
  
_The Road is Destiny_  
  
  
Julie closed her eyes and focused on breathing deeply. Her shoulders relaxed; her   
spine straightened. The eye of her mind pictured alush green forest. Amidst the tall trees and   
the cool grass, she felt peaceful and safe. The air was rain-dewed and sweet, the sky was a   
faded mix of the hues of dusk. She ventured further into meditation. . . She saw herself,   
clothed in a flowing garnet robe, running through the forest with the lithe of a deer.   
She halted to allow the sunshine to bathe her skin in loving gold.   
  
Suddenly, she felt the presence of an intruder. Breathing slowly, Julie focused on   
retaining the wonderful state of bliss, but the presence did not vanish. It was a man.   
A tall, ethereal creature--a son of the forest. Julie felt herself smile at the figure who haunted  
the dream-like haze of her waking dream. Tentatively, his hand reached out to touch her.   
She was only a dream; he was only an illusion. And yet a shiver tickled Julie's spine as   
his fingerstips touched her sleeve. She glancedupward to gaze into the most crystalline blue eyes   
she had ever seen. They were striking.   
  
Julie gasped, springing back into reality. The pain and the beauty of those eyes...   
He seemed so real. Then again, her imagination had always been vivid.   
  
  
_______________  
  
  
"Legolas, what is it?" A man with a coal-smear of beard stubble rose from his seat   
at the small fire. "What did you see?"  
  
"Was it an orc?"  
  
"Was it a rabbit?"  
  
"Did it try to eat you?"   
  
"Merry... don't speak of food. My tummy is rummmblins."   
  
The golden Elf remained silent for several moments.   
  
  
"I'm not sure of what I saw. It was a forest sprite or some other impish creature playing folly."   
  
"Was it a she?" Pippin whistled.   
  
"Yes. From what I could tell."  
  
"I bet you could tell alot!" Merry quipped wickedly.   
  
"Quiet, young Hobbits!" Gandalf thundered, wanting only to enjoy his pipe in peaceful reflection.   
"Run along until dinner is cooked,   
you're testing my nerves."   
  
"C'mon, Merry, we're wasting time! The sooner we leave, the sooner we eat. And the sooner   
we eat, the better!" Sam cajoled.   
  
"Allright..."  
  
_______________  
  
"Mom, what do you want from the store?"   
  
"The list is on the fridge. Be sure to get milk for Patrick's cereal."  
  
"Okay! Be back in a while, bye!" Julie slung her messenger bag purse across her shoulder   
and grabbed a new box of carmel almond Crunch N Munch popcorn. She snagged the list from   
the fridge, and tromped out of the house.   
  
_______________  
  
"Merry, no! Gandalf said never to play with his staff! Don't touch that!" Frodo scolded   
as the younger Hobbit craftily took the staff from the napping wizard.   
  
"I only want to take a look at it! Shhh, you're going to get us into trouble."  
  
"Us?! Quick, put it back for Aragorn or Boromir sees." He pleaded.   
  
"I will, but first I'd fancy a spell casting." He managed to stand the staff vertically   
though it threatened to topple over. He coughed, "King of Ice   
and Queen of Fire! Send forth my heart's desire! From the sky fall unto me! Something   
sweet... and ah... something pret-tee."  
  
"Way to rhyme, Merry!" Pippin cackled. "The word is pretty."  
  
"Hey! It was very good considering I've never--"   
  
****FLASH****  
  
****THUMP!!!***  
  
The Hobbits shivered in terror and disbelief. Lightning did not stike without rain...   
The spell worked! But what did Merry conjure? They scurried from the camp for the meadow   
where the light had flashed so brightly.   
  
"Stop!" Boromir called. "Come! We fly!"   
  
_______________  
  
  
Julie lie sprawled out on her back the grass like a fighter smote by a savage punch. Oh God,   
where was she? The last thing she remembered was tripping over a broom on her way to the car.   
In fact, she had dropped the keys and grabbed onto the broom to keep from falling. It still was   
clutched in her hand. The box of popcorn remained in the other. Did she die? Because of a stupid broom?   
  
Before she had a chance to panic, she noticed four small children running toward her. Wait...   
Children didn't have large hairy feet or such pudgey hands. What were those things? Trolls?!   
  
"Stay back! Back!" She screamed, wielding the broom like an old woman shooing away a   
pesky cat. They paid her no heed. A trio of men ran behind the waddling quartet of trolls.   
Two of them carried swords, whilst the other brandished a   
bow and arrow. Oh, swell.   
  
"Oh HELL!!!" Julie muttered frantically, throwing down the popcorn box and dashing in   
the opposite direction. She wasn't a fast runner, but fear urged her to flee   
  
into the forest. The light of day was nearly gone... she could lose them if she hid.   
  
"Oooh! What a lovely lady!"  
  
"She's mine, Sam! I brought her here!"  
  
"Look what the lovely left for us! Food... I think." Pippin picked up the disguarded   
Crunch N Munch and shoved his handinto the open box. Tentatively, he tasted one of the   
carmel-drenched kernels. "Yummm! Try this!" The quartet hungrily devoured the   
exotic treat. "This my something sweet, Pippin. Told you!"   
  
"Merry! What have you done...What have you done..." Frodo wailed.   
  
"What is that?" Aragorn mentioned to the blurr of motion which disappeared into the forest.   
  
"You mean what is she."  
  
"A young woman, that's what! Merry cast a spell, and she fell out of the sky...   
Put your weapons away! She's a girl, not an Orc!" Pippin wiped away stray pieces of   
popcorn from the corner of his mouth.   
  
"Night is upon us. She will not survive alone, we must help her."   
  
"Legolas should go, he's the least scary-looking one of you."  
  
"Yes! But remember, she's mine!"  
  
"Merry, you're in enough trouble." Aragorn gathered the Hobbits like a   
shepard tending his flock.   
  
"Legolas?" Merry turned to speak to the Elf. He was nowhere to be seen.   
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 


	2. Chp 2: Lost and Found

Title: The Road is Destiny  
Author: Firefly Lantern   
Rating: PG-13 for language and violence  
  
Author Note: [kind of mean, but I'm making a point here] Okay, here it is. I openly admit  
I have written a Mary Sue type story ::gasp!::. And you know what? I don't care what any   
"Tolkien Purists" have to say about it. Whine all you would like, but please, if you are going to   
tell me this story isn't HARDCORE Tolkien or whatever belittling tidbits you'd like to throw my   
way, please email me instead of taking up space on the review board. Thankies. ^.^. This story   
is for FUN. I am not trying to create a masterpiece in the style of Tolkien, I prefer creativity   
and originality to redundancy. Okies? An open mind is a wonderful thing!   
Have fun on the journey. Hang in with me here!   
  
Disclaimer: JRR owns the LOTR characters. Any other modern things mentioned here   
belong to the makers, etc.   
  
Oh, and P.S. Sorry Gimli sounds like a Highlander!   
  
_The Road is Destiny_  
  
Julie leaned against a tree trunk and breathed in little huffs of air. Dang, this was   
scary and not fun. She sunk to the ground and huddled in the shadows. Her broom was poised   
and ready to beat the stuffing out of anything that would even try to come near.   
Erratically, her heart pounded. Adrenaline pumped through her veins, making her head ache   
with giddines. This was a nightmare, only everything was real.... She fought the urge to   
break down into tears. The shock of the situation was too much for her mind to process.   
How could she go home? How did she get here? She tried to think, but a bleak fatigue   
settled over her.   
  
A breeze pulled through the forest, making the leaves of the trees and bushes quiver.   
Faint melodious strains whispered as if carried on the wind. Julie blinked and held her   
breath to hear more clearly. Her heart thudded like a warhammer in her ears. Tears squeezed   
from the corners of her eyes. She wiped them away with the back of her hand.   
  
"Please, don't be frightened." A comforting hand came out of thin air to touch her shoulder.   
She screamed, jumped to her feet, and tripped over the broom once more. She fell face first   
into a bush, scratching her plams and her face. The small branches felt   
like hot razorblades. She grit her teeth in annoyance. Damn foilage.   
  
"Allow me to help." Two strong hands held her about the waist and pulled her to her feet.   
"Are you hurt?" A soothing voice questioned. The darkness concealed his figure though he   
stood near. "I have no intention to either rob or hurt you. My name is Legolas Greenleaf   
of Mirkwood..." Silence hung in the air for a moment. "My party's campfire provides warmth   
and we offer your protection."  
  
"Thank you... Now leave. I don't trust you."   
  
"You have my word, the oath of an prince. You *will* be safe, I swear it on my bow.   
You may carry it until we reach camp. It is my gesture of friendship." He opted to not   
mention the twin daggers sheathed at his sides.   
  
"Yes, but your men at camp have swords."   
  
"They also mean you no harm. What choice do you have?" He intended his words to infer   
a slight threat. It was for her own  
wellbeing that she come with him.   
  
"Um...fine. And as a gesture of my friendship..." She took the tiger's eye braclet--the   
one she'd bought at a craftstore for 2dollars--from her wrist and held it out until her hand   
pressed against his chest. "It's the only item I have that's worth anything. So   
don't try to rob me, okay?"   
  
"O...K...?"  
  
"Okay... means a bunch of things... Like 'do you understand' and 'everything is   
allright'." She explained. "Now, please hand over your bow and an arrow." Like heck   
she could pull back the taut bowstring. The only archery she had was in 9th grade gym class!   
And she was no William Tell, but he didn't know that.   
  
He obliged. Wow, the bow was heavy! She slung it over her shoulder, and held the broom   
in one hand and the arrow in the other. The tip was sharp enough to make a nasty scratch   
on bare flesh. "I'll follow you. Grab the end of the broom and lead us both out of here.  
I can't see you in the dark." Oh, great. Wonderful thing to tell a could-be   
Renaissance thief/rapist. Shoot! She cringed at her stupidity.   
Everything happened too fast!  
  
"Yes, Lady."   
  
Step for steady step they wended through the tangle of thick branches and leaves. Julie prayed   
none of it was poison ivy. That would be her luck.... Her tired eyes focused on the blob of nothing   
which was the firm ground rolling beneath her feet. She glanced forward and tried to get a good   
glimpse of... Legos Lost? She chuckled at the horrible memory lapse. Beneath a scant sliver of a moon   
veiled in fog, she could only make out that he had light hair which reflected almost   
white in the dim moonlight.   
  
Dang, he was tall! At least a couple inches over 6 feet. Julie nearly grunted. In comparison,   
she stood a wimpy 5' 4", the average height for an adult woman. Well... a 19 year old at least.   
Ha! Shrimp! She hmphed. She didn't stand a chance against the Jolly Green Giant.  
  
Mr. Legos led her to a meadow, then into another patch of forest. This time, the terrain   
became rocky.A glow of firelight took her by surprise as they came upon a clearing which   
boasted seveal wall-like rock piles. Nine pairs of anxious eyes watched her as   
Mr. Legos invited her to the campfire and turned to face her. Oh my goodness...   
he was beautiful! Her hazel eyes widened. She immediately stared at her feet,   
her neck bent like a broken lily stem.  
  
"Do not be afraid." Aragorn began but was interuppted but an outburst from Merry.   
  
"She's my something pretty!!! Is she real? Where did she come from? What's her name?"   
He leapt from his seat to touch her jean-clad leg. She let out a cry of shock. Bad troll!!!!  
  
Mr. Legos had pointy ears...The hairy trolls were here! That old man has a big walking   
stick and a long ragged beard. Oh my... No, that couldn't be a sleeping Dwarf...   
  
Dandy, juuust dandy.   
  
"What is your name?" Asked one of the trolls with unruly blond hair.   
  
"Julie Anderson." She whispered.   
  
"Daughter of...?  
  
"Phil."  
  
"I'm Merry Brandybuck of the Shire! Julie Anderson, Daugher of Phil, I'm... sorry..."   
Sincere regret shone in his dark eyes.   
  
"For?"  
  
"Bringing you here."   
  
She blinked.   
  
"Please, sit." A man with dirty blond hair and a beard beckoned to an   
empty spot near the fire.   
  
"No, thank you." Julie shivered, but not because she was cold. This was creepy.   
"Why am I here, in your world?   
Why can I understand your language?"  
  
"Our world? My dear, where are you from?"   
  
"Ohio."  
  
"Ohio?   
  
"Yes, it's part of the United States... of Earth."  
  
"Don't you mean Middle-Earth" Boromir suggested.  
  
"No, just Earth."  
  
"She's mad!" Pippin shouted.   
  
"Shut your mouth!" Merry exclaimed, pushing at his friend's chest. "LOOK at her!" Julie   
found herself an object of intense scrutiny. From the tips of her sneakers to the top of   
her blonde highlighted head. "What are those on your eyes?"  
  
"Glasses, I have problems seeing, and they make my vision better."   
  
"Can I touch them?"  
  
"No." Pippin joined Merry at her side. He felt the rough fabric of her   
jeans. "It's called denim." She explained.  
  
"Oh, I like denim!" He exclaimed. The other Hobbits Oooohed as well.  
  
"How do we know you're aren't a spy? And you are the eyes of Sauron? All problems of   
the eyes can be fixed with simple magic. Isn't their magic where you come from?"  
  
"Saru---who? No, we don't have that kind of magic." She admitted. "I'm not a spy   
for anyone or anthing, thank you."  
  
"He's a very evil man, Saruman..." Frodo mumbled. Julie sensed a fog of meloncholy   
around him. Hope withered in his soft voice.   
  
"Yes yes." She nodded. "But how did I get here? One second I was at my house...   
and the next second I'm here in Middle-Earth.   
I didn't even fall down a rabbit hole!"   
  
"I'm to blame..." Merry addmitted. 'I cast a spell, wishing for something sweet   
and something pretty... and you appeared."   
  
"No... No! You can't tear through the fabric of another dimension so you can   
steal my Crunch N Munch!" The arrow hit the ground as she angrily threw it. "Why me..." She choked.   
  
"Destiny?" Shrugged Sam as if it were the most logical, obvious answer.  
  
"I need to sit down." Julie coughed, dropping to the cold ground. She hugged her   
knees to her chest in despondence. Merry quickly came to her side and stroked her long,  
wavy dark blonde hair. The Hobbit was responsilbe for her torn, tattered fate. Legolas   
watched the scene from a quiet distance. "Isn't there any way to get me home? If Merry   
cast the first spell, can't he cast another one?"  
  
"Magic is as fickle as a woman... ah I mean... the weather." Gandalf recovered and   
lit his pipe. "No wizard has ever been able to create a portal. In all honesty, it was   
theorized portals could not be formed because they would tear holes in the very fabric of being."   
He blew large grey and blue rings into the air. An uncomfortable silence fell upon the camp.   
  
"Oh goodness." Julie whimpered.   
  
"Although I am an advanced wizard, I know nothing of creating portals." He   
deadpanned. "None have ever been created before, until young Master Brandybuck decided to   
steal your Crunch N Munch, as you put it." Cryptic disbelief hinted in his voice. A lowly Hobbit   
had done what none of the master wizards could?   
  
"What's a Hobbit?"  
  
"We's a Hobbit, Miss Julie!" Sam laughed.   
  
"They're peaceful little folk who have a love for both food and trouble." Commented   
Boromir. The Dwarf rolled onto his side and began to snore like the dying engine of a   
MAC truck. "Aragorn, we must properly introduce ourselves to the lady." Aragorn coughed   
and walked to the young woman.   
  
"Aragorn of Arathorn."   
  
"Pleased to meet you, Aragorn." She held out her hand to shake, but he cushioned   
her fingers in his hand and nobly kissed her knuckles. She blushed hotly.  
  
"Boromir of Gondor, my lady." Boromir followed suite.   
  
"Gandalf the Grey. I would creak to my wary feet to kiss your hand, Lady Julie,   
but my bones are too tired." The wizard grunted. Julie smiled. She liked him although   
he seemed rough around the edges.   
  
"Peregrin Took! Call me Pippin! Myyyy lady." He made a grand show of kissing her hand.   
She laughed in delight at his enthusiasm.   
  
"Samwise Gagee, at your service. And that there is Bill the pony." He shook her   
hand then remembered to give it a swift kiss.   
  
"Frodo Baggins." The sulle-eyed Hobbit smile and gingerly pressed his lips to the   
skin of her knuckles. She placed a hand on his pale cheek, wiping away a stray smudge   
of dirt. The corner of his mouth curled into a ghost of a smile.   
  
"Meriadoc Brandybuck, Missus." He whispered, on the verge of tears. She bent forward   
and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She patted his back tenderly. "It's okay."   
  
"Okay?"  
  
"It means everything is fine. She is forgiving you." Legolas smirked at Boromir's   
gaping mouth. The Elf chose to say no more, he liked the mystery of his understanding   
of the Earth word. Merry wiped away Julie's tears; Julie wiped away Merry's tears.   
Oh sheesh, this was getting emotional again.   
  
"It's okay." He echoed.   
  
"And you are Lego... Lego--?"  
  
"Legolas." He did not smile or make a show of his greeting. "No no. Don't move.   
Enough hand kissing. You're making me blush." She laughed, uncomfortable at the thought   
of Legolas touching her. She would probably turn bright red and melt into a puddle,   
which wasn't the best impression to make.   
  
Thank you for brining me to your camp."  
  
"We wouldn't have left you alone!"  
  
"Well... we could have." Pippin said a tad too loudly. Sam smacked his   
friend across the back of his head.   
  
"Fool of a Took!"   
  
Julie didn't bother asking again if they could help her get home. It appeared as   
if she were trapped in Middle-Earth forever...A pang of sorrow made her heart bleed   
for the past. She cared for her younger brother, Patrick, and worked at a restaurant   
as a waitress to help earn money to pay the bills. They needed her! Patrick needed her!   
She had several very close friends, but her family situation was like a ball and chain   
which kept her from being young and care-free. Now it would be no house. No stores. No mall.   
No supermarkets. The only bright side she could think of was the money her family would save from   
not having any college tuition to pay. Ack, her family needed that money.   
She coudn't deal with this now.  
  
"Excuse me. I'd like to be alone." Overwhelmed, she could only speak softly. She   
walked to a secluded part of the camp where the circle of firelight began to fade to   
darkness. She stared off into the blankness, allowing her mind to become a void.   
  
No one spoke. Instead, they used their eyes and gestures to communicate.  
  
*Should we talk to her?* Pippin inclined his head in her direction.   
  
*NO!* A vehement shaking of heads ensued.   
  
*But she is so sad.* Merry frowned.   
  
*We'll talk about this later.* Aragorn placed a finger over his lips.  
  
  
Julie sensed they were talking, and she didn't care. They meant well.   
They could not help her. She was probably more of a burden than anything else! Why would   
a band of mixed breeds be travelling through the forest? This was no camping trip. Were they   
on some sort of quest? An air of muted despairation clung to them. She doubted they would chuck   
her off at the nearest tavern and take off running. Still, with the female to male ratio   
towering at a whopping 1:9, the prospect of travelling with them wasn't very desirable.   
She liked everyone, but she did not want to get in the way. She was from a small town in   
Ohio, not a warrior village from a 'Conan the Barbarian' movie.  
  
"I can't survive in this world." She said quietly to herself. If Gandalf couldn't get   
her home, the least he could do was find a nice farm or orphanage for her to stay at, seeing   
as she was all alone now. Julie sat in the same spot, staring listlessly. Was she a bit far   
from the fire? Probably. She wasn't afraid ... yet. An hour or two later, the Hobbits prepared   
for sleep. Their bodies huddled together for warmth like a bundle of puppies. The sight was   
calming. Soon, the others began to drift off to sleep until only Boromir and Legolas stood   
watch. Boromir draped a blanket across her drooped shoulders and invited her to sit by the fire.   
She accepted. "What are you keeping watch from?" She rested her back against a fat log.   
  
"Orcs." He replied bluntly, trying no to draw attention to the sword at his side.   
"Nasty devils... Do not worry, you are safe." His gauntleted hand rested on her arm for a   
moment. Julie shivered as the fire slowly dwindled.  
  
"Do we need more firewood?"  
  
"You're resting on it."  
  
"Oh!" She laughed in embarrassment as she elbowed the log. Phew! If fire kept the   
beasties away, she would gladly offer to   
chop down an entire tree.   
  
"Rest, Lady. The sun brings hope. Do not allow the night to make you weary."   
  
"Yes... Thank you, Boromir. Good night."  
  
"Good night indeed." He bowed his head.   
*****  
  
WOW. The ground was really, really hard. Her matress at home was firm, but sleeping on the   
ground felt like... well, sleeping on the ground. Picking up her blanket,   
she found a rock-free patch of grass under a tree not too far from the fire.   
Okay, no bats or vikings were waiting in the branches. After laying half of the   
blanket out, she put her glasses in their case, and used her purse as a pillow.   
A grin lit her face. Pierre! She had forgotten about him! Yesterday at the Italian restaurant   
her family had eaten at, Julie won a small yellow bear in the claw machine. He wore a white   
and yellow striped shirt and a cute little red ascot. He looked distinctly French. Thus, she named him   
Pierre the Bon Chance Bear.   
  
"You'd *better* be lucky..." She murmured, hugging him tight against her chest. She   
curled into a ball and covered herself with the   
other half of the blanket. Exhaustion--mental and physical--soon lulled her to an uneasy slumber.   
She spoke garbled words and whimpered strange names.   
  
Merry opened one eye. Figuring it was safe, he opened the other. He sat up at the sound of   
Julie's muffled voice. Was she having a nightmare? Guilt overcame him. He wobbled to his feet and   
tried to step over Frodo. Instead, he stepped *on* him.  
  
"Ow! Merry!" He coughed groggily.   
  
"Sorry! Excuse me." The end of his blanket caught his foot off guard, sending   
him falling onto Frodo's chest.   
  
"MERRY!" Frodo sputtered, being careful to keep his voice lowered.   
  
"Sorry sorry! I only wanted to give my blanket to Julie. She's having a rough night."   
  
"Just don't fall on her." Merry playfully kicked Frodo in the ribs. Frodo's ears picked   
up Julie's voice as well. He remember the loving, comforting way she had treated him, as if she   
knew the burdens of his heart. He wanted to share the same feeling with her.  
"I'm coming, too."   
  
Both Hobbits tiptoed past a yawning Boromir. Legolas saw them but said nothing.   
  
"Julie?" Merry whispered. She sighed and seemed to settle into a lucid sleep.   
"I'm going to sleep here. I want to make sure she is safe." He put his blanket over   
Julie and propped himself against the tree. Frodo did the same.   
  
"Here, Merry, we can share a blanket."   
  
Sam, noticing the lack of body heat, awoke to find Frodo and Merry missing. He panicked,   
then breathed a sigh as he spotted them near Miss Julie.. He quickly joined them, leaving Pippin   
alone to snuffle and snore in his sleep. The long Hobbit whimpered, sensing he was forgotten   
and alone. He rolled in his blanket and snorted like a vexed dragon. The other Hobbits   
chuckled in amusement.   
_______________  
  
Julie's neck was stiff and her hip ached. But she was toasty and snug... and not alone!!!   
Remaining still, she saw Frodo sleeping right beside her. *Someone* was pressed up against   
her back. Pippin had himself latched onto one of her legs. And somehow Sam had gotten ahold of   
Pierre. She shook from holding in the laughter. What a weird situation to wake up to!   
She was fine with it, they were the reason she had slept so well. But damn, if the grin   
on Pippin's face got any happier, she would be forced to kick him while he slept. She smiled   
at the thought and closed her eyes.   
  
"Did I miss something?" Aragorn whispered, bringing several breakfast fish back   
from his morning scouting trip.   
  
"They weren't such a large clump the last time I checked." Boromir yawned,   
stretching his limbs.   
  
"They huddled together, one by one, through the night" Legolas said casually,   
not implying he watched Julie sleep.   
Although he had. "She is well-protected."  
  
"Awha?" A cough came from Gandalf as he awoke. Aragorn cleaned the fish and   
added seasoning herbs.   
  
"There." He pointed. Gandalf blinked. He broke out into a broad smile and   
let out a rumble of a laugh. It was one of the first times   
anyone witnessed him wake up in such a good mood. It was appreciated.   
  
"Beauty does have it's advantages... none I have ever experienced." The old   
wizard chuckled.   
  
"Breakfast!!!" Aragorn called, flipping the fish.   
  
"Don't wake them yet, we must discuss our new companion."  
  
"What can we do to help? No wizard can create a portal..."  
  
"Aye. But a Hobbit did. The problem is... portals do not open two ways. If a portal   
were like a gate which allowed travel to both sides... think of the chaos. The portal would   
become the eye of the needle that sews the fabric of both worlds together, thereby   
creating a new reality. She belongs to this world now. There is no returning." The weight of  
his words showed in the stern lines of his face.   
  
"Do we tell her?" Boromir said in monotone. Legolas's mouth pressed into a grim line.   
  
"No... not yet. She needs to become accustomed living in this world first--"  
  
A roar of a yawn errupted from Gimli. "Arrr! What a bright... day." He gruffed.   
"Is breakfast ready?" His loud voice jolted everyone's eyes open except for Pippin.   
  
"What a nice pillow you make, Julie!" Merry bowed. Julie snorted and   
threw a blanket over him like a net.   
  
"Hello." Frodo said shyly.  
  
"Hi there." She smiled. "ACK, PIPPIN!" She twitched her leg then poked him   
in his side. He was extrememly ticklish and squeaked. He curled up into a ball like an armadillo.   
  
"What's this?"  
  
"Pierre, my bear. It's a toy. You can borrow him if you'd like."  
  
"Oh! I didn't mean to take it, Miss Julie! It was an accident--"  
  
"Shush. Don't worry about it! Er, tell me those aren't twigs snarled in my hair."  
  
"But they are twigs."  
  
"Mur." She tugged the twigs free and tossed them into the woods.   
  
"Hey, how'd I get over here?" Pippin yawned. "I don't remember coming over."  
  
"You wandered over when you woke up alone in the night and thought   
you wandered from the group."  
  
"No, I didn't!" He blushed bright pink as Aragorn called them for breakfast.   
  
"Julie?"  
  
"No, thank you, Aragorn. You need the food more than I do. I insist. If I get   
hungry, I'll just eat one of the Hobbits." She gnashed her teeth at Pippin as he   
stuffed a tender fillet in his mouth. He paled until he realized she was only joking.   
  
"Very well." The Ranger nodded, respecting her wishes.  
  
"Aragorn, are you the leader here?"  
  
"Some say yes..."  
  
"Can I speak to you, alone?"  
  
"Yes, Lady." When they moved out of hearing distance, she looked directly into his eyes.  
  
"I'm not ever going home, am I?" Please... don't tell me there is hope if it i  
sn't real." Her bluntness caught him offguard.   
  
"Julie...I..." He searched for the words. They did not come. "We don't know if   
it is isn't possible. Give Gandalf time.   
Until then... you're part of the group."   
  
"No."  
  
"No?"  
  
"No!" She adamantly shook her head. "I would be nothing but a burden. I can't   
defend myself against... anything! I'd be another mouth to feed and another person to   
worry about. No. I can't do that to the group. Aren't you on some sort of quest?"  
  
"...Yes. A dangerous one. We couldn't possibly bring you along, even if you wanted to come."  
  
"I understand" She nodded. "So...?".  
  
"We're taking you to the village of Morlye. A wizard by the name of Ingeth lives there.   
He and his wife, Soolris, will take care of you until we can return. You will not be forgotten,   
on this you have my word." He kneeled and kissed her hand. Julie nodded.   
  
"Yes." She finally stammered.   
  
"Pack it UP!" Frodo yelled, bending over to pick up his bed roll. In seveal minutes,   
the entire campsite was cleared away.   
  
"Anything I can help with?"  
  
"You can carry my sachel."  
  
"How...kind of you to offer." Julie said diplomatically. Legolas scowled at the Dwarf.  
  
"Ha ha! A wee slip of a lass like you couldn't carry this more than a few steps.   
I like your spirit!"   
  
Julie stretched the kinks in her neck and took iventory of everything in her purse---   
  
Pierre... an eyeglass case... a lighter...   
a Nerf ball ... wallet with three dollars and a coffehouse card...   
make up stuff ... anti-perspirant [THANK GOD] ... a small travel journal,   
bought as a date keeper, but never used ... random hairties... a chocolate bar,   
a big pack of mint gum, and 7 tick tacks ... anti-static spray [travel size] ...  
vanilla body spray ... pens and pencils ... pepperspray [shoot, why didn't   
she remember this before? argh ]... hairbrush ... "gold" braclet and matching   
necklace... and a small pocket knife...  
  
It wasn't much, but Julie was thankful for being somewhat of a packrat. She   
ripped 1/4 of a stick of gum from the pack and chewed on it. Ah, fresh minty breath... Heaven.   
It was time to hit the open road... er forest path.   
  
"Are those sturdy walking shoes?" Boromir pointed to her sneakers.   
  
"Oh yes. These are Nikes!" She beamed, obviously proud. He had no clue what   
Nikes were, but they were rather attractive... "I'm ready. Bring it!" 


	3. Chp 3: Danger in the Wood

Title: The Road is Destiny  
Author: Firefly Lantern   
Rating: PG-13 for language and violence  
  
Author Note: [kind of mean, but I'm making a point here] Okay, here it is. I openly admit  
I have written a Mary Sue type story ::gasp!::. And you know what? I don't care what any   
"Tolkien Purists" have to say about it. Whine all you would like, but please, if you are going to   
tell me this story isn't HARDCORE Tolkien or whatever belittling tidbits you'd like to throw my   
way, please email me instead of taking up space on the review board. Thankies. ^.^. This story   
is for FUN. I am not trying to create a masterpiece in the style of Tolkien, I prefer creativity   
and originality to redundancy. Okies? An open mind is a wonderful thing!   
Have fun on the journey. Hang in with me here! This chapter gets swinging into a little romance.   
  
Disclaimer: JRR owns the LOTR characters. Any other modern things mentioned here   
belong to the makers, etc.   
  
Oh, and P.S. I know not all Elves work for Santa...that's the less-entangling thing to mention.   
Thank you for all the positive reviews and constructice suggestions! I was really   
expecting an "eew Mary Sue!" back lash. Moonstone-Tears, a Mary Sue is basically a story where   
the author SHAMELESSLY self-inserts himself/herself into the story. It's usually to make the  
"made up" character appear wonderful and perfect in every way. Hey, I don't think there is   
anything wrong with writing stories like that, it's a great ego boost. A person has to be   
wary though in letting other people read it, because usually Mary Sues are soooo cheesy   
and over done. ^.- I am having a blast writing this story and thinking up things to   
put in here... Writing is such great 'therapy'! hee hee. Cheers! Pardon typos... they will   
get fixed soon enough.   
  
  
_The Road is Destiny_  
  
  
Julie kept mostly to herself as the group made their way onward through the forest. She often lent  
a hand to the Hobbits when the terrain became steep or if a fallen tree blocked their way.   
Surprisingly, her broom made an excellent walking stick. It was also helpful in shooing annoying  
insects from her face.   
  
"That's an odd shirt you're wearing... What kind of material is it?" Pippin poked  
at the snuggly-soft sleeve of her black hoodie.   
  
"It's called a hoodie, and it's made out of... fleece. See?" She flipped the flap of material  
over her head. "Hoooodie. Kind of like a cloak. But not really."   
  
"I like it."   
  
"Groovy!"  
  
"Groovy?"  
  
"Yes, it's a word you can use to say you like something."  
  
"Groovy!" He tested the new word, loving the way it rolled smoothly from his lips. She placed her  
cold hands inside the kangaroo-pouch pocket and marvelled at the awesome engineering of Old Navy   
polar fleece. She hummed to herself and watched the scenery as the group sang songs--many many many  
songs--to pass the time. They didn't sound half bad, she bemused. She had taken voice lessons since she  
was 12 and had a pretty darn good voice since singing was one of her life's passions. As they began a   
song about the sun and the sky, a mental picture of Legolas singing LOW bass flashed through her mind.   
The Elf's voice was anything but bass... A light barritone perhaps? The thought of him croaking out  
a kickin' "Swing low, sweet chariot!" put a quirky smile on her face that wouldn't go away,   
even after she covered her mouth to conceal it.  
  
Legolas happened to glance back and see the mischievious smile the young woman was trying to   
hide. When he turned his head to look fully at her, her amusement grew. That smile was for him.   
Why would she laugh at him? The thought was uncomfortably unsettling.  
  
"Lady Julie, your braclet--" He fell back until they walked side by side. He offered the trinket;  
she refused it.   
  
"No, keep it. It belongs to you now."   
  
"Thank you." He blinked and slid it onto his slender wrist. Julie noticed the long, tapered   
fingers of his hand. Those were musician hands, the kind which moved mastefully across piano keys   
and glided skillfully over strings of a violin. Did he play any instruments? "What did you say   
it is made of?"  
  
"Tiger's Eye. It's named after the eyes of a furry beast on Earth. Some people believe wearing  
it will help boost courage and deepen perception of things. It's also said to provide protection  
for the wearer." She personally thought it was a bunch of fancy talk to get people to buy braclets.   
  
"Thank you." He echoed his gratitude. Her open kindness made him want to smile, but he knew   
not what to say. So he said no more. He walked back to Sam who lead Bill the Pony by the reins.   
He asked for an apple... The Hobbits laughed and wouldn't give one to him until he said it was   
for Julie. He knew they were only teasing... but they found his predicament far too amusing.   
"Here?" He returned to her side, tossing a chilled face at Pippin, who stuck out his tongue.   
  
"Oh! An Apple! Thanks! Wait, you didn't have breakfast either. Why don't we share it?   
It's big enough."   
  
"Okay." The pride of using an Earth word glowed in blue eyes... Those eyes! Julie  
instantly recogized them from her meditation. No no. There was no way... She brushed off the   
thought as he used a dagger to slice the apple in twain.   
  
"You have a dagger ... ... ?" Her eyebrow quirked accusingly in reference to the night  
before, when he made her believe he only carried a bow and arrow! The nerve! She felt like   
hiting him on the shoulder. Good thing he was a man...er sprite? of his word.   
  
"Two, actually." He said nonchalantly and he gave her half of the sweet fruit. Was he   
teasing her? She couldn't tell. She murmured her thanks and took a bite.   
  
"Legolas, are you an Elf?" She let her eyes wander to his ears. It was more subtle  
than a 'HEY! Yer ears are pointy! H'yuck!'. She didn't want to offend him.   
  
"What do you know of Elves?"   
  
She blushed at the expectant attention he gave her.   
  
"Ah, on Earth, Elves are only a myth. They're legends that only exist in books. I had  
*no* idea Elves are so tall! Usually they stand this high," Her hand went to her hip, "And they  
wear pointy shoes, have pointed ears, and wear jingle bells. Cute, little jingle bells that sound  
like the laughter of children..."   
  
"Pointy shoes?" A dark eyebrow rose in wry disbelief. Oh wow, he was teasing her. She could have  
slapped her head at the obviousness.   
  
"Yeah, it's a rough life for them." Don't be offended! Your shoes are non-pointy boots,   
and you are taller than me!" Yeah, Julie! Babble some more! Damn, if all Elves resembled   
Legolas in the slightest, she was moving to the North Pole when she got home. She had never   
seen a person move with the grace and poise which Legolas carried himself. His feet, she   
swore, didn't even make the slightest sound when he walked over dry leaves or twigs.  
It was wicked cool and yet it made her feel like a noisy clutz in comparison. No wonder he   
had been able to sneak up on her so easily... Maybe that's why Elves on Earth wore bells,  
so you could hear them coming!   
  
Julie bit off another chunk of apple. It was absolutely delicious, she almost purred.   
Extra points for Legolas, she took a mental note. Oh NO! She was starting to develop   
a crush on him! She groaned inwardly. Now wasn't the best of times to try and mack out   
Middle-Earth. Besides, he probably had a wife or at least a 'lady fair' waiting for him.  
She talked herself out of any attraction to him. He had given her an apple slice. And unless  
the courting customs of Elves were 'a female accepting an offer of food from a male   
was actually promising to marry him' instead of simply accepting a dang piece   
of fruit... THEN she would have a reason to spaz out. It was an apple half, not an overture   
of love! Woah, girl, chill! She calmed herself. She hadn't had a boyfriend since 6th   
grade. That explained her googlie eyes for the nearest attractive, sexy male [it was just Legolas,   
but she had to convince herself it wasn't him alone] which paid attention to her,   
she snorted in disgust. Outloud. Legolas looked at her suddenly, and  
she glanced away so quickly she almost fell over a startled Samwise.  
  
"Woah! Sorry there!" She patted his head. He was a welcomed distraction.   
  
"Are there ponies in Ohio, Miss Julie?"   
  
"Yes, and none are as pretty as Bill." She said in all sincerity. The love Sam had for the animal shone   
in his eyes, as well as in the way he proudly carried the reins. The pony snorted as if it   
didn't want to be called 'pretty'. Sheesh, boys...   
  
The group continued their travels at a steady yet comfortable pace. To Julie, the forest  
was calming, she always liked Nature when big bugs or poisonous snakes weren't involved.  
The sun filtered through the canopy like light refracting through the panes of a stained glass   
window. Birds sang in short chirps and long warbles, filling the air with happy sounds.  
She was beginning to like this world... Almost. The Hobbits sang of their home in the Shire,   
it sounded like a lovely place. It sure beat traffic jams and noisly cities.   
  
When asked questions about her home, Julie told them stories about cars, roads, and electricity.   
Boy, was she proud she paid attention in science class! She had babbled on about  
electrons, neutrons, and atoms to a bunch of blank, glazed faces. They were enthralled yet  
so utterly confused. She changed the subject to the weather.  
  
Hours later, after they had walked away the morning and hiked through the afternoon, they   
stopped to rest before another stretch of travel.  
  
"Thaaaaank Heaven." Julie sighed, smoothing out a blanket and lying down like *the* queen  
of camping out. The Hobbits spread a blanket beside her and Frodo ended up scooching  
onto her blanket since four Hobbits were too large to share a single blanket. It was deja vu   
all over again. She closed her eyes to rest for a few mintues as Merry and Pippin bickered  
over who was entitled to eat the largest apple in the sachel. After several minutes of   
hearing them fight, she said, "Why don't you give the largest apple to Bill, since he's the one  
who has to carry the bag?"   
  
"Oh! I likes that, I do!" Sam piped up. Julie heard shuffling noises, then a chorus of:  
  
"That's mine!"   
  
"No, MINE!"  
  
"It's Bill's now! Ahaha!"   
  
Forget rest... She was too worked up and restless to try and sleep. She dug into her  
purse and found the ultimate boredom buster: an awesome neon blue and orange Nerf Ball of DOOM!  
It was the one she stole from Patrick because he kept thowing it at the television when she was  
watching a movie a few days ago.   
  
"Hey, guys. Wanna play catch?"   
  
"Catch? Is that where we run and you chase after us, until you can catch us?" Pippin   
unclamped his teeth from Merry's arm.   
  
"No! It's where you throw a ball to someone and they catch it, and throw it back to you."  
She tossed it into the air and caught it as she spoke.  
  
"Let's play!" Sam cheered. For the next twenty minutes, the five played catch. The soft,   
mutant foam skin of the of the ball was pefect for little Hobbit hands. The others were   
thankful for a moment's peace, though Gimli finally gave in to their pleas for him to   
join in the game. He gruffed and swatted at the ball before he learned how to properly  
"snag up a Nerf" as Julie put it.   
  
Laughing, Merry meant to throw the ball to Julie but it wailed over her head and rolled under a  
clump of bushes.   
  
"Time out! I'll get it!" She waved them off. She couldn't see over the bush so she bent down  
on her hands and knees. Ooooh, shoot, it was really far under there. She stretched her arm   
until her shoulder joint ached. It was to no avail. Slightly annoyed though not daunted,   
she picked up her broom and used the handle to roll the ball forward until she could reach it.   
"Got it!!!" She stood proudly, coming face to chest with an evil-looking creature.   
She screamed as it tried to jab at her with a sword. She ducked and used the straw end  
of the broom to lance it in the face. The beast wailed in pain as the sharp bits of spiked   
straw scratched it's vulnerable eyes. Julie stepped back and cried out as an arrow flung past   
her head, hitting the beast directly between the eyes. Hands wrapped around her arms, pulling   
her away. Numbly, she saw Sam and Pippin latched onto her elbows.   
  
"We'll protect you, Miss Julie." Sam promised. "Frodo, stay close!"   
  
Frodo at once became the hub of the commotion. He became the immediate center of attention.   
They were protecting him, first and foremost. Julie scrambled to her purse and found the small   
can of potent pepperspray as more creatures invaded the camp. Aragorn and Boromir used swords.   
Gandalf cracked a mean lighting bolt. Legolas carried a bow, arrow, and daggers. Gimli was a   
madman with an ax. Even the Hobbits bravely brandished blades. Oh, to have something sick like a   
warhammer, she wished. She had a broom and pepperspray! All of her friends who role played would  
cackle and scoff at this moment, she thought.   
  
One of the uglies made its way toward Frodo. Instantly, a wall of Hobbits formed, blocking  
the path, They were ready to die for the safety of their friend.   
  
"Frodo, behind you!" Sam shouted.  
  
Julie screamed as eight more creatures emerged from the bushes. There were already six here!  
Ah! Fourteen of them! She shivered in fear. She felt dizzy and ill, but bit her tongue  
and forced herself to get a grip. Pepperspray sprayed up to a distance of ten feet. It would   
burn their eyes like molten fire. GOOD.   
  
"Stay away from him!" She yelled as Merry intervened and cut the beast's leg. Unfortunately, her  
high-pitched, girlie voice caught the attention of two other nasties. Okay, try this again.  
"Back!" She shouted in a voice any warrior princess would be proud of. Of course, it helped  
nothing but her ego. They ran for her, their swords poised to battle. "Fie!" She   
screamed, letting loose some spray into one of the creature's eyes. She quickly sprayed  
the other. It dropped to the ground and thrashed blindly, howling in pain. It's sword  
waved an inch or so away from her neck when Frodo jumped on its back and stabbed it until  
it lie dead. Go, Frodo, go!   
  
"Thank you!" She swept him into her arms and kissed his cheek. She was so happy to be  
alive! In the next instant, she put him down and pushed him behind her as another creature  
leapt at Frodo. "Run!" She jabbed at its face with her broom, but it growled and took at   
stab at her. She twisted her body sideways to avoid the blade. She watched in horror as it  
cut directly through the kangaroo pocket of her hoodie. She felt the blade glide  
over and back across her flesh. Oh God, had he cut her? She froze and arched her back,   
trying to distance herself from the sword, although it was stuck in her shirt. She cried   
out in pain and frustration.   
  
"Julie! NO!" Someone cried, she didn't know who. It felt so far away . A bright flash  
sparked and the creature went to fall on her! She used the broom handle to push away its  
body. It was too heavy for her keep from toppling over, so she grabbed its hand and pulled  
the sword as gently and as quickly as she could. Her own blood stained the metal like rain  
sliding down a clear pane of window glass. Oh, damn! The world began to spin violently as she  
threw the sword away from her. The creature fell on top of her, pinning her to the ground  
under the mass. She gasped for breath, her lungs couldn't expand for air.   
  
"You...suck." She coughed, using her last puff of air to insult the creature.   
____________________ 


	4. Chp 4: Eyes of Stone

Title: The Road is Destiny  
Author: Firefly Lantern   
Rating: PG-13 for language and violence  
  
Author Note: [kind of mean, but I'm making a point here] Okay, here it is. I openly admit  
I have written a Mary Sue type story ::gasp!::. And you know what? I don't care what any   
"Tolkien Purists" have to say about it. Whine all you would like, but please, if you are going to   
tell me this story isn't HARDCORE Tolkien or whatever belittling tidbits you'd like to throw my   
way, please email me instead of taking up space on the review board. Thankies. ^.^. This story   
is for FUN. I am not trying to create a masterpiece in the style of Tolkien, I prefer creativity   
and originality to redundancy. Okies? An open mind is a wonderful thing!   
Have fun on the journey. Hang in with me here! This chapter gets swinging into a little romance.   
  
Disclaimer: JRR owns the LOTR characters. Any other modern things mentioned here   
belong to the makers, etc.   
  
Oh, and P.S. Woo! Thank you all for the positive reviews!! ::HUGS::. I'm so surprised, I was  
expecting some sort of "You aren't Tolkien enough" backlash. Go me! Go you! ::dances::. LOTR is out  
on dvd/vhs, go buy it and watch it every day! ^____^. Eek, watch out for typos...  
  
  
  
_The Road is Destiny_  
  
  
Funny... She could hear noises, but she couldn't open her eyes to see. Her mouth opened to speak;  
no words came. Julie guessed she must look like a fish out of water gasping for breath...er, well...  
for water over its lungs seeing as how fish don't have lungs. Damn, her mind was wandering   
again. And she couldn't bring it back.   
  
A small tongue of fire crackled at the corners of her eyes. The tongue forked and grew into a raging  
blaze which consumed her entire dome of vision until a picture formed from the chaos. The forest  
was burning! Billows of smoke rose into the air like the tolling of death bells. Tears ran down her  
face at the horrors she witnessed. She thrashed; she writhed. If only she could help!  
  
"Fire!" Julie choked, gagging on the thick smoke. The fire began to morph into a shape. A round golden  
ring; a crimson fiery eye. It called to her by name and said so many horrible, horrible things...  
"Stop! Please! Go away! .... Go away!." She screamed, unable to tear herself from the nightmare.   
Her hands reached out and clawed for a way to be free.   
  
"Julie! Wake up!" Aragorn spoke firmly as Boromir held her wrists in the vise of his hands. Julie   
gasped for air and blinked. She coughed at the sickness and pain in her tummy.   
  
"Let go!" She tore her arms from his grasp and rolled onto her side to finish the coughing fit.  
She felt eyes on her...watching her writhe in agony. She hated her weakness. "Please, don't look at me."  
She tried to be strong. The others turned their heads to offer the young woman privacy.   
Merry's head hung the lowest.   
  
"Shh. Be still." Aragorn whispered. "You bleed and I must tend to the wound, Lady."   
  
"Uh, sure thing."  
  
"Legolas, help me..."   
  
*Oh SWELL. Legolas goes up my shirt only because I could possibly be mortally wounded. How romantic!*  
Julie groaned in embarrassment. If she fell off a cliff, would he kiss her? Love was too much of a hassle.   
  
"The cut is clean--shallow but long." Aragorn murmured and she felt something cool press into the opened  
wound. She growled this time instead of whimpering. Her jaw clamped stubbornly. Sensing her pain,   
Legolas held her cold hand and often gave it a firm squeeze to distract her attention.  
  
"Does it require stitching?" Legolas lowered his voice. The confusion spell Gandalf cast over Julie  
calmed her and put her into a state of waking dreams. He squeezed her hand and stroked her fingers.  
  
"No." Both men breathed sighs of relief. "She fought bravely. She held her own, I'm impressed."  
  
"Yes." Legolas agreed. "We must not linger. We are being tracked. Wake her."  
  
_______________  
  
Julie groaned, opening her eyes to the forest canopy and three familliar faces.   
  
"Hey there, boys." She said in an overtly sexy voice. "Miss me?" A weak smile impishly curved her   
lips.   
  
"Yes. Can you stand?"   
  
"I think so. All I need is a boost." Legolas took one of her arms while Gimli grabbed the other.   
  
"*Gently*." The Elf emphasized. He did not wish for the Dwarf to handle Julie roughly and hurt her   
more. Gimli grunted.   
  
"Just be sure your slender arms can pick up something heavier than a bow."   
  
"Drinking ale build arm muscle? Then you *must* be strong for you incessantly lift food  
from the plateto your mouth."  
  
"Guys...?"  
  
The two came together as a duo to carefully help Julie to stand. She winced at the pain from  
her stomach as she took a few steps.   
  
"Sorry to move you so soon, Julie. We have to leave. Now."  
  
"I understand. Thank you... All of you." Her thanks directed toward everyone. Together, they survived  
the onslaught. She handled herself pretty damn well! In her humble opinion, of course. Though now her  
wound made her more of a burden on the party. It ignited her will to be more self-sufficient and   
less of a bother. "Lead on." She forced a samile and squared her shoulders.   
  
"Lass, take hold of my shoulder. I'm strong as a tree." Gimli noticed her pale face and offered   
to be a crutch. She nodded and leaned against his sturdy bulk. Legolas dissolved into the background   
where he felt he belonged. The Hobbits and the men fluttered around her like a flock of worried   
mother hens. It was awkward trying to walk with all of them so extremely close. Merry's eyes spoke  
volumes about the guilt he carried. Afraid she would faint or fall, he went to her and held her hand.   
He personally wanted to be at her side since he failed to keep the Orc from doing harm. Julie didn't   
mind Merry's vise-like grip. Both he and Gimli provided heat for her chilled body.   
  
"STOP IT. You're worrying too much. I can manage." She insisted, breathing easier now that she  
was no longer suffocated by their overprotective attention. Every stiff step she took made her  
stomach throb and ache. She did her best to ignore the pain by focusing oh her breath and   
taking sanctuary in her mind.  
  
***flash***  
  
The sand was a gritty powder beneath her bare feet. She wiggled her toes and savoured the way bits   
of it clung to her pink skin. How old had she been, maybe ten years old when her family took a trip to the   
beach? It was the perfect day in her biased memory. Patrick had only been four years old and   
her parents were still together and happy... Julie lost herself in revelry of sandcastles and   
salty ocean waves. Her hazel eyes glazed as she saw only with her rememberance...  
  
_______________  
  
  
Aragorn led at a quick, hurried pace. It was for their own safety that they reach a safe place to wait  
out the night. He knew not where such a place existed, so they followed Legolas's ears to  
running water.   
  
A breathless silence befell the party: no one spoke, no one sang. The Hobbits began to yawn and their  
feet began to stumble. Julie wanted to hoot encouragement at them, but she knew it was best to keep  
her mouth shut. Merry tripped and she held his hand tight, preventing him from falling. His tired eyes spoke his thanks.  
Julie smiled and kissed the back of his hand.   
  
"We are near." Legolas announced softly, staring off into the distance ahead. A flicker of excitement  
charged through the group like a snap of a static electric shock. Three hundred feet away, a clearwater  
spring rested in the glen of two gently slopping hills. A small lake and several pools awaited.   
Oh, it was a lucious site to behold!   
  
They set up camp in the glen where the land was firm and dry. Julie, refusing to let everyone else do  
all of the work, used her broom to sweep away twigs and leaf debris. The Hobbits and Boromir scouted  
for firewood as Gimli, Aragorn, and Gandalf sat down for a rest. Legolas tended to Bill. And Julie  
swept. She was part of a team now, oh yeah.  
  
"Night comes swiftly. If we are to bathe, it must be now." Legolas commented as Gandalf   
used a spell to ignite the fire. No one spoke. Everyone waited for someone else to be the   
first to speak.  
  
"Uh, why doesn't everyone else go first? There are more males here. I'll go over there---waaaaaay  
over there--" Julie motioned in the direction opposite of the spring. "I insist."  
  
"Nay, your wound needs cleaned and freshly bandaged." Boromir protested. "We insist you be   
the first. Allow us the couresy of bathing only after you are done." Damn, he had a point.   
There were 9 of them, and only 1 of her. It was a precarious situation.   
  
"Your virtue will not be endagered." Aragorn promised. "You have our word."  
  
"Yes, our word!" Shouted the Hobbits.   
  
"Er... fine then." She laughed uncomfortably. It was a thin veil to disguise the unease   
she felt.  
  
And so it was planned: Julie would be the first to bathe. Legolas would sit nearby--his  
back turned and his eyes closed [he swore this on his kingdom]--to keep an ear out for   
danger. When she was done and dressed, he was to help clean and bandage her wound.   
Easy enough, she thought and neared the edge of one of the small pools. Shoot,  
she had to get naked in the middle of the forest. Julie knew there was a catch.   
  
Working up her nerve, Julie chickened out and only stripped to the waist of her jeans.   
The material Aragorn used to bandage her cut was not sticky with blood. She couldn't look   
at it, or she'd vomit. She used the crude soap and her own strip of blanket cloth to   
wash her body and the mud-crusted length of her hair. She didn't mind the trickles of water trailing   
down her back that soaked into the waistband of her low-rider jeans. Was this soap hypo-allergenic?  
  
  
Hastily, she dunked and cleaned her hoodie the best it could be cleaned. . .  
She finished dressing. The pretty, sheer pink peasant top had a large slice in it and splotches of   
crimson across the front. Great! She ground her teeth in annoyance. She looked terrible!  
  
"Legolas?" She found her voice and called for him. She couldn't touch the cut on her own without  
fainting. He walked slowly, not knowing what to expect.   
  
"Ready?"  
  
"And willing. Um, I mean yes." She nodded, feeling awkward. More so than being on a blind date or   
getting 'The Talk' for the first time. She froze as he came hear. "I'll lie down."  
She murmured, not making eye contact. She lifted her shirt only as much as was necessary. His hands were   
warm on her stomach as they removed the material which clung stubbornly to the wound. Her hands  
balled into fists at her side.  
  
Legolas did his best to be gentle. The cut was indeed long, but it would stop bleeding on its own. A glint   
of light attracted his eyes lower.... Julie had a curved piece of bejeweled metal pierced through   
her naval!!!! It did not disgust him, he found it odd yet attractive. Was it a status symbol? She wore  
five earrings, all gold. Was she of high society in Ohio?  
  
"Oh! That's my naval piercing!" She noted his stillness. "I had it done when I turned 18."   
  
Ah, so it was a womanhood ritual.   
  
"You wear it well, Julie." He said neutrally. "I must pour whiskey over your cut to clean it.   
Scream if you wish, it will sting greatly." To his surprise, she did not make a sound. She stood and  
held up her shirt as Legolas wrapped a fresh bandage.  
  
"Thank you, Legolas! I couldn't have done that by myself."   
  
"You are welcome." He inclined his head. "You require a new shirt. I can offer what we have as spare."  
  
"Thanks!" She wanted to throw her arms around him in a hug... but she opted to touch his shoulder.   
  
________________  
  
"This is all that will fit your stature." He held up one of Aragorn's white, long-sleeved undershirts.  
It was clean though not suitable for any lady's wear, Legolas inwardly cringed. He was a villian for  
even offering the offesive shirt to her.  
  
"Good enough! I'm not picky." She pecked his cheek and hopped happily to the bushes for privacy.   
All of the other men were now away bathing, she had nothing to worry about.  
  
So she thought.   
  
Julie put the shirt over her head as something wet brushed past her leg with a hoot and a holler.  
She screamed, scrambling into the shirt.  
  
"Pippin! Gives back my clothes!" A nearly stark naked Samwise cried, running after an equally  
less-than-covered Pippin. Her eyes widened. All she had seen were nakie Hobbit rears...   
The obsurdity of the situation made her laugh until she gasped for breath.   
  
"SAM! PIPPIN! MASTERS STENCH AND STABLEMUCK!" Legolas *bellowed*. He hoped suddenly that no other   
naked men jumped from the bushes, chasing after them. "There is a lady present!" He paled in disgust.   
They ignored him entirely.  
  
"Pippin!" Sam ran and kept his undershirt from falling from his front. As quickly as they invaded the   
camp, the Screaming Maddness ran back toward the lake.   
  
"I...I..." He stammered. "I am sorry, Julie."  
  
"It's all good. My little brother, Patrick, is just as bad." Julie emerged, fully dressed,  
from the haven of the bushes. "Young boys have *no* shame." She laughed, rolling up the comically long   
shirt. It reached down to her knees! "Is it safe?"  
  
"I certainly hope so." They shared a smile.  
  
Julie patted Bill's pink velvet nose and unpacked her blanket. It was the only one out of the lot  
which was folded neatly. Go figure. She set up her bed beneath a tree and yawned.   
  
"Goooooood night, Legolas!" She sighed contently, brushing out her damp hair and settling in   
for the night.   
  
"Good night, Julie." 


	5. Chp 5: Madness in the Market

Title: The Road is Destiny  
  
Author: Firefly Lantern  
  
Rating: PG-13 for language and violence  
  
Author Note: [kind of mean, but I'm making a point here] Okay, here it is. I openly admit Ihave written a Mary Sue type story ::gasp!::. And you know what? I don't carewhat any "Tolkien Purists" have to say about it. Whine all you would like, but please, if you are going to tell me this story isn't HARDCORE Tolkien or whatever belittling tidbits you'd like to throw my way, please email me instead of taking up space on the review board. Thankies. ^.^. This story is for FUN. I am not trying to createamasterpiece in the style of Tolkien, I prefer creativity and originality to redundancy. Okies? An open mind is a wonderful thing! Have fun on the journey.  
  
Hang in with me here!  
  
Disclaimer: JRR owns the LOTR characters. Any other modern things mentioned here belong  
  
to the makers, etc.  
  
Oh, and P.S. Woo! Chapter 5! This story is ROLLING along! Can YOU  
  
spot the Liv Tyler humour in this chapter? [psst, it's one of the songs]. The  
  
scent, Vanilla Lace, is from Victoria's Secret, and is HEAVENLY. People seriously rioted when they took it off the shelves, so it's back in production now, yay! I also have NO CLUE what the monetary system is in Middle-Earth, so I made up my own, lol... And there is some Pig Latin in this chapter. If you don't know Pig Latin... take the first letter of a word, put it on the end, and add an "ay". With vowels, just add "ay" on the end. Like so:  
  
Iay ikelay Egolaslay = I like Legolas! Easy as iepay!  
  
Note: This Chapter has been replaced [more like fixed] due to a heinous amount of typos and errors. How embarrassing! This was when I was writing on Notepad and didn't have the convenience of Word's spell-checker. . . Sorry and thanks again!  
  
  
  
  
  
_The Road is Destiny_  
  
  
  
Sometime in the middle of the night, Julie awoke when something kicked her in the leg. Common sense told her it was only one of the Hobbit "Clump".  
  
"Sorry." Frodo whispered as she sat up.  
  
"Can't sleep?" She whispered back. His shoulder slumped and he let out a shallow breath.  
  
"No."  
  
"Wanna talk about it? You seem pretty stressed, Frodo." She offered. He remained silent, contemplating his words and thoughts.  
  
"No... No thank you." He hesitated.  
  
  
  
"You're a very important Hobbit, aren't you? I see the pain in your eyes... You can trust me. Frodo, I want to be your friend. It looks like you need someone to talk to."  
  
"I must carry this burden alone." He shook his head in melancholy. "I do not want anyone else getting hurt... because of me."  
  
"Those creatures were after you." It was a statement, not a question.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"All right, hon, I won't ask why. It's your business, not mine. Don't blame yourself for me getting hurt today. All right? It was my own fault... Besides, the others are willing to give their lives for you... so am I. I don't know what is going on, but it must be something very important since an Elf and a Dwarf are traveling together. You guys are on the good side, right?"  
  
"For certain."  
  
"Hoo-ah!" She said, using the military cry. "That is one step in the right direction. Would you like to hold Pierre for the night?" She offered her bear, pressing it to his chest knowing full well once he felt the plush fur, Frodo couldn't resist. Heh heh. Sneaky sneaky! Frodo accepted, curled into a ball, and was asleep in a few minutes.  
  
______________  
  
  
  
The next morning, Julie began writing in her journal. Not every girl could truthfully write:  
  
"Dear Diary,  
  
I've been kidnapped by Hobbits, beaten up by Orcs, and there's this real cute Elf....."  
  
Most girls would be ecstatic just to write about seeing a hot guy, let alone having one personally bandage up what could have been a mortal wound. HA!  
  
"Hey, Aragorn, can you read this?" She showed him a newly written page.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Grrr. So much for inter-dimensional linguistic privacy!" She huffed. Aragorn looked at her with wide eyes. She wasn't going to start writing in Igpay Atinlay ustjay osay heytay ouldn'tcay understanday. Ughay!  
  
There was one thing to be happy about: her wound had scabbed over and stopped bleeding! That was a relief. She felt 300% better after drinking some of the cool spring water. Of course Gimli had called her something-- probably the word for "wuss" in Dwarvish--when she refused to drink unboiled water.  
  
"But... Deer peed in there!" She had pointed out. "Do you know how many viruses, bacterium, and parasites are festering in your stomach and intestines?!" She panted, breathing erratically. Gimli had shrugged and dunked his entire face in the water. He even blew bubbles for her.  
  
Oh, so mature.  
  
"Here." Legolas offered a clay cup. "The water is pure, it will not taint you." No arguing that logic. It was either suck down pondscum or die of dehydration. Neither was appealing...She groaned. Weeee, pondscum! She coughed as she drank.  
  
_________________  
  
OH NO. One more song.... One more song about the meadows, the glens, the groves, the hills, the dales, the valleys, the orchards... Someone was gonna get punched in the eye! Oh walkman, where for art thou? Julie's eyes traveled heavenward. This sing-a-long needed kicked in the butt.  
  
"Okay! It's time for me to teach you some Earth songs! Quick, how do you spell your names?"  
  
  
  
-Minutes Later-  
  
"There was a Hobbit with a pipe, and Frodo was his name-o! F-R-O-D-O! F-R-O- D-O! F-R-O-D-O!  
  
and Frodo was his name-o!" ....  
  
"There was a wizard in a hat, and Gandalf was his name-o! ..." ...  
  
"There was an Elfie with a bow, and Legolas was his name-o!..."  
  
".... and Aragorn was his name-o!"  
  
Yes! Everyone had a good chuckled about the cute song and the Hobbits terrible attempt  
  
at spelling in rhythm.  
  
_________________  
  
Voices echoed across the rolling slopes of the grass meadowlands. A lone doe stopped grazing to lift her slender head in alert. She remained motionless except for the flicker of her large ears, which tried to hone in on the strange noise echoing across the plains...  
  
"I know all the games you play!  
  
And I'm gonna find a way to let you know that you'll be mine someda-a-ay!!!  
  
Cause we-e-e could be happy can't you see-e-e?  
  
If you'd only let me be the one to hold you,  
  
And keep you here with me-e-e!  
  
Cause I try and *try* to forget you girl.....  
  
But it's just so *hard* to do! ......  
  
Every time you do THAT THING YOU DO!!!!!!!"  
  
Julie and the Hobbits sang in unison. Her energy was  
  
infectious. Even Gimli hummed--quietly--along when he thought no one was watching. It sure beat songs about lonely mountains and depressing caves! Hoo!  
  
Julie loved singing. She understood why the group sang as they traveled. It kept their spirits up as well as being a great way to pass the time.  
  
"Julie! How's your cut?" Pippin practically bounced along the trail.  
  
"Good! It's healing. You know... I've never had anyone try to kill me before. It was exciting! Frodo, don't apologize." She said as his mouth opened to say sorry.  
  
"Aragorn must teach you how to fight. He's a ranger, but we could help." Merry offered.  
  
"Great! Though I'm pretty deadly with a broom. What with sweeping everyone off their feet...". Julie quipped.  
  
"There it is! The village of Leije!" Gimli's deep voice grated happily. "Aye! Meat and mead wait for us!"  
  
"Oh! Maybe I can sell some of my jewelry or my perfume for a weapon and some kickin' new threads." Julie beamed.  
  
"Beeeeer!" The Hobbits cheered. Everyone was elated to find civilization. Julie didn't know what to expect.  
  
"Young woman, I must fix your eyes. Your...glasses... will attract suspicion. " Gandalf chanted words in a booming monotone . His hand waved across her face and her eyes tingled. In the next instant when she blinked, the strength of her lens prescription made her eyes cross.  
  
"AH!" She squeaked, ripping her glasses off her face. "Ohmigod!" She hugged Gandalf, put herglasses in her purse. "This is fabulous!" She batted her eyelashes.  
  
"Julie! Your eyes are HUGE!" Merry gasped as if she had suddenly grown googlie fly eyes.  
  
"No they aren't! They only look so big because you can see them!" She chased him across the meadow, trying to kick him in the butt.  
  
"Julie! Your wound! Don't run! Merry, STOP!" Aragorn called to no avail. Everyone smirked behind his back as the duo kept laughing and romping in the meadow.  
  
___________  
  
Okay.  
  
The plan was for Julie to pose as Boromir's servant as to not draw attention to a girl sharing a room with 9 men. Julie didn't care about her reputation, but Legolas and the Hobbits insisted she be treated like a lady and not a... hussy.  
  
"The lady needs proper attire." Boromir commented, draping his cape across Julie's shoulders. It covered her entirely from the neck down.  
  
"I can sell my jewelry and my Vanilla Lace spray... I only need a weapon, clothes, and some food. Any left over money goes to the group."  
  
"A lady should not have to make do without her perfume."  
  
"I know, I know. But it will fetch a high price. Please, let me do this for everyone."  
  
"I cannot argue such passion." A smile spread across Boromir's face.  
  
  
  
The Marketplace throbbed like a heart pumping out oxygen-rich blood. It was more than Julie ever could have imagined. Food, cloth, clothes, shoes, weapons, instruments, kitchenware, horse needs... It was a bad-ass Medieval Wal*Mart! All Julie needed was money! From what Aragorn and  
  
Boromir explained, silver and gold coins were the staple monetary currency here, though people still bartered and traded goods and services. This village was not filled with poor people, either. The savage buyers were not afraid to haggle one another over the price of the finely crafted  
  
goods they sought to buy.  
  
Hmmm... Most expensive perfumes cost about 500 gold pieces. About $50, Julie guessed. That number of gold coins would buy many necessities. Julie planned on getting much, much more for her spray.  
  
If there was one gift she proudly claimed, it was the gift of Gab.  
  
Legolas, Boromir, and Pippin listened intently to her plan and occasionally nodded and smiled in conspiracy.  
  
"Red Team go!" She muttered, finding a spot near the middle of the marketplace. She was an excellent actress and a talented performer; she sprayed herself several times then pulled a sorrowful face. As she walked along the line of shops, browsing the goods and wares, Pippin came to her side and grabbed her elbow.  
  
"Lady, what fragrance do you wear? It intoxicates me!" He spoke loud enough for passerbys to "over hear". Several stopped to watch the commotion.  
  
"I pray for you, sir, to take your hand from my elbow!"  
  
"And I pray I may hear your name, my lady."  
  
She hmphed and removed his hand, secretly patting his thumb in pride at his performance. She stalked away. Taking no more than three steps, Legolas jumped in front of her from nowhere and bowed graciously.  
  
"Oh! Lady fair! What sweet scent do you powder on your lovely skin?"  
  
"Cursed Vanilla Lace!" She bemoaned, knowing dang well she smelled wonderful. Pippin and Legolas were doing such a great job!  
  
"Never before has such a fragrance enticed me so!" He sighed as if smitten. A giggly shiver tickled her spine, but she ignored it.  
  
"Hmmm... What he said!" A man walking by stopped and sniffed the air around her. So did several more men... until she was literally surrounded.  
  
She didn't panic, she went to action.  
  
"Damned Vanilla Lace!" She echoed her lament. "It is a perfume so utterly perfect and lovely only one bottle exists in all of Middle-Earth! No man can resist it!"  
  
The crowd oooohed and aaaaahed. The men closed in, testing her words. They were reduced to grinning, drooling idiots at the light vanilla fragrance.  
  
"This perfume was made by a good witch and was meant only to attract one man... I only wanted one suitor! I wish to sell this bottle for only 500 gold pieces so my master does not continue to slay men who pound on his door, day and night, crying my name like a sigh!" She broke off into a sob.  
  
"500!"  
  
"700!"  
  
"1000!" Shouted a stout, donkey of a woman.  
  
"1300!"  
  
"2000!"  
  
"2500!"  
  
"3000!"  
  
At the bid of 3700, Boromir prowled through the maddened crowd.  
  
"Paxil [Julie couldn't believe he used the fake name she told him to use, ha!]! Paxil! Have you sold that wretched bottle?"  
  
"Yes, Master." She bowed her head. "Sold for 3700!"  
  
"Minnnnne!" The unattractive woman pranced to Julie and dropped a bag filled with coins into Boromir's hand. Ya know, the woman wouldn't look so terrible if she had more confidence and put some time into her appearance, Julie noticed. She could find a man with no problem; she didn't need the  
  
'magic' perfume. All the coins were there, plus 35 extra silver coins.  
  
"I can't take this..."  
  
"Take the extra coins! It is worth it, my dear!"  
  
"Only if you accept this." Julie dug in her bag and handed the woman a taupe shade of lipstick that would look fabulous on the lady. "It will colour your lips.  
  
Use only a little!" She demonstrated with a pearly pink lipstick then gave the taupe one to the lady.  
  
"Aye!" Happy tears shone in the woman's eyes. The crowd dispersed as if nothing happened. Boromir led Julie away by the elbow.  
  
"Oh.....my!" She giggled into his chest as his arm went around her waist. "3700 gold coins! For a $5 on-sale spray! DANG!" She gushed, not looking where she was going. "Now we can buy food, clothes, weapons, extra blankets... Everything you guys need."  
  
"You need clothes and a weapon. Your needs will be seen to first!" Boromir laughed. "Then we will see how many coins are left." They both knew she could buy 10 dresses and 10 swords with the amount of  
  
coins they carried. It was exciting!!!  
  
"What kind of weapon?"  
  
"The lady requires a pole arm!" Legolas whispered loudly, walking by and  
  
pretending to be another face in the crowd.  
  
"Oh! Yes! A polearm!" Julie agreed. "Whatever that is. Let's go find one...!"  
  
_________________  
  
Julie studied her reflection in the tarnished mirror. Her friends would kill to have such awesome Ren-Faire wear, heh heh. She and Boromir had made out like bandits in the deals they haggled from the craftsmen. For about 300 gold coins, she now possessed leather gauntlets, a pair of knee-length brown boots, a bunch of bloomer pants and camisoles, a crimson bodice,  
  
2 *sturdy* brown skirts, 2 white low-cut blouses with long, puffed sleeves, and an old black cloak. Wow!  
  
Boromir helped her pick out a nice polearm called a Halberd. Damn, was it cool! It was a polearm with an ax blade, a spear point, and a hammered bill all in one piece. It was a very versatile weapon, she could use it to inflict injury, or simply trip her opponent [or toss them from horseback  
  
if she ever got good enough]. Julie liked it a lot! She picked out a dirk and a 'bodice dagger' on her own. The bodice dagger was an actual dagger so small it was easily concealed in a woman's bodice. Niiiiice.  
  
Happiness made her face glow; buying a new outfit was always a fun event! She had changed and now wore one of the sturdy brown skirts, a white blouse, and the crimson bodice [she also wore the frilly under-things because the woman at the market stall told her it would prevent chaffing and would  
  
make her outer-clothes last longer. She definitely resembled a peasant woman, though the bodice did it's best to support her chest and create cleavage. Yeah, baby! She laced up her boots and was quite pleased with her appearance. She let her wild, wavy hair hang loose and free. It matched the glint in her golden hazel eyes.  
  
"Julie, are you done yet?" Merry whined, knocking on the door. "I'm hungry!"  
  
"Yes!" She moved and tripped on the hem of her skirt. She fell to the floor with a loud thud. She gasped at the fresh pain that shot through her stomach. Did she re-open the wound?  
  
"Julie!" Merry, hearing the noise, opened the door and ran to her side. "Are you ill?"  
  
"No no. I tripped. Graceful, I know..." She muttered as he helped her stand. He stared at her, his jaw slack and his eyes wide. "What?"  
  
"You look... like a girl!" He was amazed.  
  
"Well...Yes. I hope so! What did I look like before?" She looked questioningly at him. He stammered for a few seconds before she laughed. "I'm only teasing. Let's go eat!"  
  
"May I offer my arm?" He bowed.  
  
"You may!" She curtsied. 


	6. Chp 6: A Drunken Dance

Title: The Road is Destiny  
Author: Firefly Lantern  
Rating: PG-13 for language and violence  
  
Author Note: [kind of mean, but I'm making a point here] Okay, here it is. I openly admit I  
have written a Mary Sue type story ::gasp!::. And you know what? I don't care  
what any "Tolkien Purists" have to say about it. Whine all you would like, but please,  
if you are going to tell me this story isn't HARDCORE Tolkien or whatever belittling  
tidbits you'd like to throw my way, please email me instead of taking up space on the  
review board. Thankies. ^.^. This story is for FUN. I am not trying to create a  
masterpiece in the style of Tolkien, I prefer creativity and originality to redundancy.  
Okies? An open mind is a wonderful thing! Have fun on the journey.  
Hang in with me here!  
  
Disclaimer: JRR owns the LOTR characters. Any other modern things mentioned here belong  
to the makers, etc.  
  
Oh, and P.S. Thank you, reviewers! It feels so great to know you want to   
read more of my story! I'll try my best to keep it going strong.   
"Eyes Like Yours" belongs to Shakira. There is some drunken, scandalous  
behaviour from the heroine in this chapter, butit's nothing toooo bad... ^.-   
  
_The Road is Destiny_  
  
  
  
The High Road tavern crawled with life. A thick cloud of smoke clung to the air, growing   
like a sickness as more pipes lit up. Nearly everyone here smoked, Julie hoped they  
enjoyed lung cancer just as much as! She quinted her eyes and allowed Pippin to lead her  
to the table. Several men leered, their eyes followed her in brazen obviousness.   
Julie didn't see. Legolas did. He tensed as she and Pippin came to the table.   
  
"Hi, fellas." She smiled and her lips quiked into a smile. "You all are looking well?"   
  
"Julie looks like a girl!" Pippin exclaimed.   
  
"That she does." Legolas stood and pushed the chair in for her. She thanked him.   
  
"Aye, a true lass of Middle-Earth. Pants are not flattering on the fairer sex."  
Gimli gruffed. "We ordered beer and meat. Help yourself! You need some meat on your  
thin bones, girl."  
  
"There is wine, cheese, and bread, Miss Julie!" Sam choked on a large hunk   
of bread as he took too big of a huge bite from a mini-loaf.   
  
"Oooh! I'd like some wine and cheese please." She caught a snort from Gimli. Hey!  
She wasn't a wimp! "And a big meat joint!" Ha! Julie would show him! ... All of the  
drinks served were alcoholic, which meant she would have to sip her wine s.l.o.w.l.y.   
to avoid getting tipsy.  
  
_____________________  
  
  
Aragorn said something, but Julie didn't hear. It didn't keep her from bursting   
into a bell-like giggle. How much wine did she have? Boy, she definately  
couldn't hold her alcohol! Not that she was the only one... Pippin, Frodo, Sam,   
and Merry sparkled with the gleam off too much beer. Only Legolas and Aragorn   
were sober, it seemed. Nerds!!!!   
  
"Did you know... A hangover happens because your brain doesn't get enough  
water? If you drink beer AND water you won't get plastered off your  
horse!" Julie was such a faucet of knowledge. At least she thought so.   
Everyone laughed at Julie's prideful smile.   
  
"More beer!" Gandalf ordered from the tavern wench. The Hobbits, Boromir,   
and Gimli cheered. The wizard lit his pipe contentedly.   
  
"Miss Julie! Sings us a song!" Sam cried, raising his beer stein. Some of the golden  
liquid splashed onto his sleeve.  
  
"But I don't have any music! Can't sing without music, Sam! Duuuuh."   
  
"What about this thing? I got it today at the instrument shop." Frodo held  
up what looked to be a tambourine. "No one else wanted it, so the lady gave   
it to me." Oh no. . .   
  
  
The Gods of Mischeif were dancing this night.   
  
  
"Aye! Sing!" The rest shouted like minature drunked pirates. It was so cute, she could not   
resist. She took the tambourine from Frodo.  
  
"Gentleman!" Julie stood and struck a saucy pose. "Prepare for a *song*!"   
  
The Hobbits clapped and whistled.   
  
A rhythm filled her ears as a driving beat overtook her body. Slowly, she began to shake the   
tambourine. 1....2.....3....4.... The beat of the jingling tambourine sped as her hips   
began to sway and swing. She was lost in her own world. Everyone's eyes widened   
as she shook the instrument, hit it against her hip and began to sing:   
  
  
  
  
"Oh, you know I have seen  
A sky without sun   
A man with no nation  
Saints captive in chains....  
A song with no name  
For lack of imagination  
Ya he ya he ya la he!  
And I have seen...  
Darker than ebony...  
Ya he ya he ya la he!  
You know it seems that I  
Without your eyes  
Could never be . . . . "   
  
She moved unlike anything they had ever seen, Julie was a wild thing consumed by the   
song. It had a very Indian feel to it, and she danced as would a harem girl for  
a Rajah. Legolas leapt from his seat to prevent a scene as all of the eyes in the room  
flew to Julie. She honed in on him, dancing in front of him... For him alone.   
  
  
"My one desire  
All I aspire...  
Is in your eyes  
Forever to live!  
Traveled all over  
Crossed lands and oceans  
There's nothing  
That I wouldn't give!"  
  
She grabbed the front of his tunic and turned her back to him, shimmey-ing down the tall  
length of his body. The Hobbits doubled over in laughter and howled at the stoic expression  
on Legolas's face. As the Elf went to grab her elbow to stop the dance, she sauntered away.  
  
"Came from Bahrein!  
Got to Beirut!  
Looking for someone  
Comparing to you...  
Tearing down  
Windows and doors!  
And I could not  
Find eyes like yours!"   
  
Julie was into the swing of things now! She managed to step from the chair onto the tabletop  
without falling, where she continued to sing and gyrate. She was an enchantress; she was a   
temptress.   
  
  
"Oh, you know I have seen  
A woman of means and rags  
And *begging* for pleasure  
Crossed a river of salt...  
The specter I rode  
The ship that sank  
In the desert.  
  
My one desire  
All I aspire...  
Is in your eyes  
Forever to live!  
Traveled all over  
Crossed lands and oceans  
There's nothing  
That I wouldn't give!"  
  
Men hollered and catcalled. They threw handfuls of coins at the table. A single coin landed perfectly  
in the valley of her breasts. She reached to pull it out and the crowd roared.  
Legolas shouted at them and pulled so hard on Julie's skirt, she fell into his arms. Merry and  
Pippin dived onto the tabletop, grabbing all the coins they could manage to hold.   
  
"Nice catch!" Julie laughed, clearly drunk out of her wits, though he still rather enjoyed  
her body pressed against him.   
  
"Come. You are drunk. I will not see you raped or mishandled by any man. Lady, I am   
taking you to bed!"  
  
The entire tavern errupted into shouts of male appreciation. Legolas regretted  
his word choice instantly. The tips of his Elfin ears turned rosy pink as he turned to   
Aragorn for help.   
  
"You can handle this." Aragorn soberly toasted his stein to Legolas. He purposely wanted to test   
Legolas's reaction. Aragorn took a hefty swig of beer. If Legolas was to be plagued by a member   
of the fairer sex, he knew no better woman than Julie for the job.   
  
_______________________  
  
"Here!" Came her laugh as a gold coin wailed at Legolas from over the tall privacy screen.   
He caught it without blinking. Julie slung her garments over the screen until she wore  
only her shirt-like camisole and her knee-length bloomer pants. "Can I come out?"  
  
"Yes." Legolas was a gentleman. He held a blanket for her to wrap herself in. She came out;  
he averted his eyes and offered the blanket. Julie took it and threw it over  
his head, giggling maniacally.   
  
He pulled it off, wanting to smile at her antics, but knowing he must be firm.   
  
"Are all Elves as tall as you?" Julie asked, smoothing his mussed blonde hair. He wished  
she would stop touching him.... It was entirely innocent, but he savoured it far too much.   
  
"Usually." He took her hands in his and noted how petite they were.   
  
"Okay okay. I'm going to bed." Julie yawned, punching him in the shoulder and trudging to   
the screen. Legolas helped her move it to section off one bed from the nine others in the   
large room.   
  
"Thanks! You'are a pal."  
  
What was a pal? He blinked. She sashayed behind the screen and bumped her knee on the bed.   
She muttered words Legolas guessed a lady would not utter unless intoxicated.  
  
Julie missed the bed entirely and ended up on the floor. On her butt. She laughed at her  
own stupidity as Legolas ducked behind the screen and helped her into bed. As he   
tucked the covers up to her chin, her arms snaked around his neck and pulled him down   
for a passionless, lingering kiss. Devil of a woman!!! He did not know how to react.  
  
"Good night, sweet prince. And angels sing thee to thy rest." Yeah, leave it to Julie to   
drunkenly quote Shakespeare... She stroked his hair and proceeded to pass out.   
Legolas heaved a thankful sigh. Fickle women! He had no use for them. And yet he found he   
cared for this girl more than he knew he should. Maddness! He was nearly 3,000 years  
old and had never found a woman who made him feel this way... Damn it! He bet his eyes  
shone like a moonstricken calf. Legolas swore he was not meant for love. Love was not  
meant for him. He wondered if Julie would have behaved the same if it had been   
Gimli or Aragorn, instead of him... The thought churled his stomach. He folded Julie's  
clothes and placed the pile on the floor at the foot of her bed.   
  
  
He was sitting up in his own bed [for Elves never sleep... though their legs become  
tired] when Gandalf and the Hobbits staggered into the room. They immediately dropped to  
their beds like stones. Much later, Aragorn, Gimli, and Boromir came in and collapsed.  
Tomorrow would be a day a much rest, Legolas smirked, delighting in the fact he was the   
only member of the party who would not suffer a hangover. 


	7. Chp 7: The Morning After

Title: The Road is Destiny  
Author: Firefly Lantern  
Rating: PG-13 for language and violence  
  
Author Note: [kind of mean, but I'm making a point here] Okay, here it is. I openly admit I  
have written a Mary Sue type story ::gasp!::. And you know what? I don't care  
what any "Tolkien Purists" have to say about it. Whine all you would like, but please,  
if you are going to tell me this story isn't HARDCORE Tolkien or whatever belittling  
tidbits you'd like to throw my way, please email me instead of taking up space on the  
review board. Thankies. ^.^. This story is for FUN. I am not trying to create a  
masterpiece in the style of Tolkien, I prefer creativity and originality to redundancy.  
Okies? An open mind is a wonderful thing! Have fun on the journey.  
Hang in with me here!  
  
Disclaimer: JRR owns the LOTR characters. Any other modern things mentioned here belong  
to the makers, etc.  
  
Oh, and P.S. Thank you for all the nice reviews!!!! You guys ROCK!   
A new character is now added, lol, and she's of my own imagination... You'll see.   
^.- . Okay, I really don't want to sound like a bizzach here... But in response   
to Starbrat's review-- Naaaaaaaaaaw! Ya think! I only said for the last 6 chapters this   
is a Mary Sue. I didn't think I would have to post that fact more than once every   
chapter. ::hits two sticks together and tries to make fire::. Anyhoo, thanks to everyone  
who has given this Mary Sue a chance. It isn't your average Sue fic. Okay, I'll stop   
babblin' so you can read!   
  
  
  
_The Road is Destiny_  
  
  
#@$*ing sunlight! Julie grumbled, turning her back to the window and hiding her   
head under the blanket. Her temples pulsed and her lips were parched. Uhhhhhhhhhhhh.  
She couldn't get back to sleep now. Cursing the sun for shining so bright,   
Julie dressed very slowly. Her fingers had problems doing-up the leather laces of  
her boots and bodice. Hmm, she should have Merry stand on her stomach and pull at the  
bodice laces for dear life, like they did in all the olden days movies. Ack, forget  
about it. Right now, she had no problem with a half-assed tied bodice. Nothing was  
hanging out, that's all that mattered...   
  
Using the mirror of her foundation compact to catch a peek at her reflection, Julie  
was startled to see she didn't look as wretched as she felt. Woo hoo! She felt much  
better after a dusting of powder, a sweep of blush, and a flourish of lipstick. She   
carefully brushed the tangles from her hair and braided it. Was anyone else up?   
She didn't hear anyone groaning in agony... but someone was snoring like the dickens.   
  
Julie peeped her head from behind the screen and clapped a hand over her mouth to stop  
a loud guffaw which threatened to burst from her lungs. Oh geez...what the   
hell happened last night?! Pippin slept backward, from the foot of the bed to the headboard.   
Gimli had one leg on his bed, though the rest of him was sprawled on the floor. Merry didn't   
have a blanket because Sam huggled two to his cheek. There was a happy grin on his sleeping face.   
She didn't want to know... She jumped back and bounced on her bed as she sat down.  
This was sooooo blackmail material, Julie smiled and began writing in her journal. Her pen   
dropped to the floor as memories from the night before rushed at her like a flood dam  
collapsing.   
  
No... she didn't dance on the table...?  
  
No... she didn't kiss Legolas...?  
  
No... she couldn't face anyone now, or ever again!   
  
  
She let out a whining groan which lasted a tortured 15 seconds. She curled into a ball and   
covered her head with the blanket. Shame, oh shame... ...   
  
  
"JULIE! Wake up!" Merry's whisper was an excited hiss. He poked his unruly blonde head  
behind the screen and Julie groaned.  
  
"Go away. I'm never leaving this bed. You must think I'm terrible for the way I acted  
last night."  
  
"No! You weren't terrible! Your dancing made us another 30 coins!" Pippin's grinning   
face popped from the other side of the screen. She made a bunch of tormented, garbled sounds  
and threw her pillow at him.   
  
"No groaning!" Merry cried, accidentally bumping into the screen and knocking it to the   
floor with such a boom, Sam jolted out of bed and landed on the floor.  
  
"Merry!" Frodo griped.  
  
No one else moved or even stopped snoring. Yeah, it made her feel safe to know these   
were the men she entrusted her safety to ...  
  
"Are thems tears, Miss Julie?"  
  
"She thinks we don't like her because she got pinted and danced on the table."  
  
Julie laughed at the simple way he put it.   
  
"Pah! Miss Julie, that was inothing!/i. You never saw the time Aragorn--"  
  
"Sam..." Frodo shook his head. Some stories were just too embarrassing to repeat.  
  
"Wells, we don't thinks any less of you! You're a true lady! It's in the way  
you walk and carry yourself." Sam spoke. "You ain't nobody's wench,   
Miss Julie."  
  
"Aww! Thank you!" She sniffled and found herself in the center of an impromptu   
group hug. "You Hobbits are the best."  
  
"The best what?"  
  
"The best friends." She smiled. "Anyone up for a game of catch?"  
  
"YES!"  
  
_______________________  
  
Legolas closed his eyes and pretended to sleep. Julie did not know Elves never   
slept. She would probably apologize profusely to him when she found the chance...  
The poor girl! He could not tell her the kiss was a thoroughly pleasant   
experience. . . She was a beautiful young woman, of course he would enjoy it.  
Besides, she probably had many suitors seeking her hand in marriage in Ohio.   
He left it at that.   
  
The game of catch went smoothly until an errant Nerfball throw knocked Gandalf's   
hat from the nightstand. Everything hit the fan from there... Julie in the Hobbits  
gaped in amazed facination.   
  
In a perfect line of domino motion, the wizard hat flopped onto Gandalf's bearded face.  
Thinking the worst, he sputtered and waved his arms in dazed defense. His hand bumped into  
the wizard staff which rested against the wall. The wooden staff fell like a miniature  
tree, right onto Boromir's stomach. He coughed, gasped for air, and went to reach for his  
sword but he found himself teetering on the edge of the bed. Instinctively his hand shot   
out to stop his decent. Instead of grabbing ahold of the bed, he caught Aragorn's arm  
and both men fell to the floor in a tangle of blankets.   
  
Oh damn! They really should start running away before anyone realized what was going   
on. And who was responsible. Julie and the Hobbits shot like lightning for their beds.  
Shit, the screen was on the floor!!!   
  
*GO!! GOOOO!!* Julie motioned *Save yourselves!*  
  
*We don't want to leave you behind!*  
  
*Shut up and make like you're sleeping!* She made an urgent face.   
  
  
They couldn't argue with a crazy woman.   
  
  
  
"Oh! There's my ball! The wind must have blown it over here when I wasn't looking!"  
Julie laughed, gliding over and snagging up the Nerf.   
  
"Odd. Seeing as how the window is closed." Gandalf pointed out. Shooot!  
  
"So it is!" She agreed all too brightly. She was doing a terrible job of covering up.  
And everyone knew it. The "sleeping" Hobbits burst into fits of giggles and snorting  
laughter. "Oh, THANKS!" Her anger only fueled on their amusement. Soon, even   
Gandalf, Aragorn, and Boromir were cackling and howling. Julie put her hands on her hips.   
So much for a honourable self-sacrifice! She turned her head and caught a smile from Legolas.   
She blushed and smiled shyly before looking away.   
  
"Let's get breakfast!" Pippin cheered. "Since everyone's awake!"  
  
Gimli let out a rattling snore.   
  
Everyone giggled.   
  
________________  
  
Breakfast in the tavern... Sigh. Julie delicately stirred sweet cream into her tea.   
Oh yeah. NOW they served tea...When all the slobbering alcholics weren't around. She fumed.   
  
"So what are we doin' today?" Merry took a big bite out of an apple.   
  
"I plan to go back to sleep." Gandalf sipped his tea. "And I dare to hope none of you   
will be present to spoil it.". Merry stuck out his tongue.  
  
"Um... Since everyone is here, I'd like to apologize for how I acted last night. I'm sorry  
I was such an embarrassment ... I am very very sorry about it." Julie blurted, she couldn't   
keep quiet any longer. "Can you forgive me?"  
  
"Forgive you? Huh!" Gimli gurgled. "I don't know of a single Dwarvish woman who can dance   
better!" His laugh reverberated. "You did fine, lass."  
  
Julie blushed.  
  
"Was it like this?" Frodo stood and began swivelling his hips in an attempt to recreate  
her dance.  
  
"No no, Frodo. Put your back into it." Pippin hopped to his feet and demonstrated all too   
well.   
  
"Stop! Stop!" Julie wailed, hiding her face in her hands. Shame, oh shame! She would never  
live this down.   
  
Boromir laughed heartily.  
  
"Ha! You never witnessed then time when Aragorn--"  
  
The Ranger hit Boromir in the shoulder. Some stories were just too embarrassing to repeat.  
  
"Your apology is accepted though not necessary, Julie." Aragorn bowed his head. "Too much   
drink often makes a person misplace common wit."   
  
Boromir coughed.   
  
Frodo cleared his throat.   
  
The rest of the Fellowship tried to hide snickers.  
  
  
  
It appeared someone else had blackmail material! Julie smiled.  
  
___________________  
  
The party spent the morning browsing the marketplace. The idea of actually   
having real money to spend was like hooking an iv of pure sugar to the Hobbits'  
veins. They could not keep still or hide their excitement. Julie laughed at their  
hyper antics, she enjoyed seeing them so full of glee.  
  
A pang of guilt wrenched her heart as she realized she hadn't thought of her family   
or friends since the first day she fell into Middle-Earth. Being stranded in a strange  
dimension and being attacked by hellish creatcures made a person forget about trivial  
things such as the Mall or the movies... Patrick and her mother probably guessed someone  
had kidnapped, raped, and murdered her. It was a horrific thought, picturing them   
going through so much grief and agony... Julie's eyes stung as if pricked by hot pins.  
She refused to cry and spoil the others' merriment.   
  
"Frodo! LOOKSIES!" Merry gasped and pointed. "Birds!" He dragged Frodo by the arm into the   
seller's stall.   
  
It's a shame to see creatures in cages, Juile thought as she followed them.   
  
"Merry! Don't touch that!"  
  
Too late.   
  
  
The din was nerve-racking. Wooden cages--all empty--tumbled to the ground.  
Feathers flipped into the air as startled birds flailed their wings, and startled squeaks  
sqwaked from both birds and Hobbits alike. Oh Lord... Frodo stepped back to avoid getting clocked  
by a falling cage and knocked into a large cage holding something which appeared to be   
a hawk. Julie moved to catch it; she curled her fingers around the thick wooden bars.  
She couldn't keep it from falling, but she lessened the impact.  
  
It made contact against the ground. The door flung open and out screeeeeeeched a   
black spawn of hell. It flew right at Julie.   
  
"Don't move, girl!" Warned the shoppekeeper. "That there bird dun clawed a man's eyes out!"  
Julie froze. It perched on her shoulder.   
  
Wucking fonderful.   
  
She was so scared she couldn't even blink. Or breathe.   
  
"What is this thing?" She spoke through a closed mouth. "It has a tail..."  
  
"It be a bastard freak of nature. Part gryffin, park hawk. It only has the tail  
of the furry beast. The rest is hawk."  
  
"Yes. And ... It's purring." Julie laughed nervously as the creature rubbed it's head against  
her cheek and purred in her ear. "Is it going to eat me?"   
  
"Well I'll be! The damned thing likes you!"  
  
"Hey! Watch your language! There are Hobbits present!" Julie glared at the man. So did the creature.   
He cowered in fear. Cool!  
  
"Fine fine! Sorry! I'll give you the creature for free... But you need to buy a hawking glove and the  
likes if you think you can train it."  
  
"Done." She gave the man a handful of coins and in return he handed over a leather sachel filled with  
everything she would need. She put on the large, tough leather glove and the creature hopped onto her  
hand with a meow. Vicious creature, her ass! "Is it male or female?"   
  
"Female."  
  
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay! She was no longer the only girl in the group!!!!!  
  
She thanked the man and then ran from the stall, pulling Merry and Frodo along.   
  
"Woo! Julie! What are you going to do with her?" Merry asked in awe.   
  
"Release her back into the wild. Fly, bird!" Yeah, the marketplace really wasn't the Great Wilderness.  
But she put her hand into the air. The creature didn't move! It only purred louder.   
Stupid thing. "Uh... For the moment, I'm gonna hood it, so it doesn't get startled." She whispered   
softly as she covered the creature's eyes. No wonder it seemed so fierce! The moron of a birdkeeper   
didn't even have a hood over its eyes. Grr.  
  
"Are you going to name her?"  
  
"Sure! For the time being, until she is free that is." Julie replied. "Let's call her... I don't know!  
Any suggestions?" They shook their heads. "Allright... Eris then [aptly named after the Greek goddess  
of dischord]."  
  
"Oh!" The Hobbits commented. "What does it mean?"  
  
"Chaos, basically."  
  
"Merry! Frodo! Julie!" Aragorn called to them.   
  
"What is... that?!" Boromir pointed to Eris, who mewed loudly. The bird sounded like a cat!  
  
"Uh... Some sort of gryffin-hawk ... thing. It attacked me, so the shoppekeeper gave her  
to me. Yeah, special, I know." Julie muttered. "Eris really isn't such a meanie.   
She's just been stuck in a cage for too long. She'll be fine when she gets back to the   
forest. But she won't fly away!"  
  
"Perhaps she likes you." Boromir quirked an eyebrow.   
  
Wow, her very own 'attack Gryffin-Hawk'. COOL. Drunken men across the land would run from   
her in utter terror. Mwahahaha.   
  
"Come, we have much shopping to finish!" Aragorn motioned.   
  
Onward!!! 


	8. Chp 8: Legolas Laments

Title: The Road is Destiny  
Author: Firefly Lantern  
Rating: PG-13 for language and violence  
  
Author Note: [kind of mean, but I'm making a point here] Okay, here it is. I openly admit I have written a Mary Sue type story ::gasp!::. And you know what? I don't care what any "Tolkien Purists" have to say about it. Whine all you would like, but please, if you are going to tell me this story isn't HARDCORE Tolkien or whatever belittling tidbits you'd like to throw my way, please email me instead of taking up space on the review board. Thankies. ^.^. This story is for FUN. I am not trying to create a masterpiece in the style of Tolkien, I prefer creativity and originality to redundancy. Okies? An open mind is a wonderful thing! Have fun on the journey.  
Hang in with me here!  
  
Disclaimer: JRR owns the LOTR characters. Any other modern things mentioned here belong  
to the makers, etc.  
  
Oh, and P.S. I AM SO SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING SOONER!!! College is eating up all of my author-time. But since I love this story ~and~ everyone who reads it, I've done my darndest to get working on another chapter. Here it is!  
  
  
  
  
  
_The Road is Destiny_  
  
  
  
Julie watched in fascination as the men dispersed through the marketplace as if they were following a strict battle plan. Each soldier manned his post at his stall of choice-Boromir and Aragon checked out weapons, Gimli talked to a robust woman, the Hobbits fondled all the produce they could get their grubby hands on [except for Merry, who walked by Julie's side], and Legolas picked out arrows. Not that she was looking at him. Nope, not her. Julie allowed herself to be distracted by a display of jingly gold and shiny silver jewelry. Eris mewed and flicked her tail.   
  
The point of the arrow Legolas clutched in his hand pricked his fingertip. He muttered curses under his breath and watched a small bead of crimson blood collect over the small cut. Had Julie seen him staring at her? Ogling was a better word for what he was doing... An Elf-Prince does not ogle any woman! After all, he was not a Dwarf. But his growing attraction for Julie would soon drive him to madness if he did not find a way to collect his wits. He continued the ruse of examining second-rate arrows while he watched Julie from the corner of his eye.   
Her head tilted to the side as she took her time looking at a rack of scarves. He turned slightly so his eyes followed the line of her bare neck down to where her skirt brushed the ground. Hmmm... He wanted to feel the tickle of the material pressing against his skin.   
  
What?!  
  
Legolas was shocked at his behaviour. True, in the last 177 years or so he had not felt so compelled toward a woman, even though it had been 88 years since he had last . . . His ears reddened. Had it truly been so long? He devoted all of his energies to his princely duties of defending Mirkwood against Orcs and other monsters.   
  
Damn it, he was a prince!  
Damn it, he could do whatever he wanted!  
And Julie was walking his way...  
  
Damn it!  
  
He turned his back to her so she couldn't see the scitterish expression on his face.   
  
"Aren't these glorious apples, Miss Julie?" Sam jumped in front of her and held up his stash of Snow White-ish ruby red apples bundled in white linen.   
  
"Yup. Old Sam can pick em but he sure can't grow em!" Pippin clapped his friend on the shoulder. The comment was spoken in jest but taken in earnest.   
  
"Thanks, Pip..." His face fell.   
  
"I'm just poking at you, Sam! You know you're the best gardener in the whole Shire! Why would I try to eat all of your crops instead of that turly-hurly stuff Farmer Maggot grows?"   
  
"Because you have the manners of an Orc. An Orc with a toothache."   
  
"Why with a toothache?"  
  
"They're less pleasant to have around."   
  
Merry blushed at Sam's sneaky comment. Oh, payback was sweet! Julie shook her head in amusement and patted Pippin's curly head. She twitched suddenly as a sharp pain jolted through her body like an electric shock. Her free arm went to her stomach.   
  
"Julie-" Merry started.   
  
"I'm okay." She assured as Merry took her hand and rubbed her cold fingers.   
  
"You should rest!" He chided in a clucking motherly tone.   
  
"Cool beans. True dat, chief." Julie replied with a yawn. The Hobbits looked at one another with befuddled shrugs of their shoulders.   
  
"I'll tell Aragorn we're going back to the room." Pippin offered, leaving with a brief nod. Merry nodded and started to lead Julie by her hand. Sam and Frodo followed at her other side. They all knew Merry was only being protective of Julie; he was holding her hand because he cared about her. Not in the romantic way.   
But not everyone was so slow to make assumptions...  
  
Legolas blinked twice and yet he did not believe his eyes. Why would Merry... Why would Julie... ? It made no sense. Why would she be interested in a hairy little Hobbit? Legolas bit his tongue. He loved the Hobbits like his own brothers, but he didn't want to see Julie holding one of their hands. Perhaps she was ill? They appeared to be almost huddled protectively around her... His feet were ready to fly; however, his body would not move. He wanted to go to her! Yet... if he did, would anyone catch onto his attraction for her? It would be endless embarrassment from the rest of the guys if they found out that he, the perfectly dispassionate Elf, was perfectly lost in lust. It was not something Legolas found pride in.   
  
  
Julie kept her chin up as she and the Hobbit quartet made their way through the tavern. Thankfully, they did not attract much attention. Julie suspected most people in the tavern were already drunk, and it was waaaay before lunch time. Alcoholism and whoring seemed to be a big problem in Middle-Earth. People wouldn't be so bored if they could play Nintendo!   
  
Frodo quietly unlocked the door as not to wake up the snoring Gandalf. Julie mouthed "Good night!" as she tiptoed behind the privacy screen. Holey moley, it felt soooo good to lie down and relax! She stretched down onto the bed and took a long, deep breath. Lord, things were so messed up. Would she ever get home? If not, would she ever fit into this world? Did she even belong in her "old" world anymore? The questions distressed her and made her feel hot and helpless.   
  
In a slight panic, Julie rummaged through her purse for Pierre. She rolled onto her side and curled up into a ball. She huggled Pierre to her chest and cried in silence. Somewhere between sleep and awake, in the drowsy place where thoughts scatter like fireflies released from a jar, Julie began to have a strange vision. Scenes that were stuck behind her eyes flashed in random order:   
  
A never-ending stretch of green grass. A chain of snow covered frosty mountains. Winding rivers. Dark caverns. The flash and whisper of clashing swords and flying arrows. Ripples on a dark pond.   
  
Julie made a whimpering sound as the visions became more vivid... and terrible.   
  
The ripples on the pond melted into a glowing red ring of blazing fire. It was that horrible, horrible eye! It called to her by name and said horrible, horrible things... She did her best to fight the voice, but it grew into an almost deafening roar.   
  
"Julie... Julie... Listen to my voice." A feminine voice as soft and smooth as a falling feather spoke as well. The voice was overpowering in its quietness. "The Eye seeks you, Daughter of Phil of Ohio. It is angry for it cannot find you." A white light filled Julie's eyes, this was one cracked out dream! "Your gift is special, young woman. Alas, it can be used for either friend or foe. You are hunted for this gift. I beg you to follow your heart. . . "   
  
"Lady!" Julie cried out, tears streaming down her face. This wasn't happening... This wasn't real.   
  
It couldn't be real... 


	9. Chp 9: Heckled by Drunkards

Title: The Road is Destiny  
Author: Firefly Lantern   
Rating: PG-13 for language and violence  
  
Author Note: [kind of mean, but I'm making a point here] Okay, here it is. I openly admit I   
have written a Mary Sue type story ::gasp!::. And you know what? I don't care  
what any "Tolkien Purists" have to say about it. Whine all you would like, but please,   
if you are going to tell me this story isn't HARDCORE Tolkien or whatever belittling   
tidbits you'd like to throw my way, please email me instead of taking up space on the   
review board. Thankies. ^.^. This story is for FUN. I am not trying to create a   
masterpiece in the style of Tolkien, I prefer creativity and originality to redundancy.   
Okies? An open mind is a wonderful thing! Have fun on the journey.   
Hang in with me here!   
  
Disclaimer: JRR owns the LOTR characters. Any other modern things mentioned here belong   
to the makers, etc.   
  
Oh, and P.S. Things are heating up again!   
  
  
  
  
_The Road is Destiny_  
  
  
Julie stared numbly at the thick wooden beams of the ceiling. Her hazel eyes were wide and she panted in fear. In Middle-Earth, both sleeping and passing out were harmful to her health. There was something out there... Some evil creature who wanted to find her. But why? Julie couldn't do magic; she wasn't a princess. Hell, she wasn't special at all. She was a girl who had once tried to make microwave popcorn on the stove when the microwave was broken. Yeah, evil and good alike were not likely to tremble in her awesomeness. It made no sense! She pounded her hands against the mattress and scooted to take a seat on the side of the bed. God, this wasn't good at all. With evil creatures already after Frodo, having even more beasties hunting for *her* made double trouble for the group she had grown to care about.   
  
But what should she do? Talk to Aragorn? If he knew who or what she was talking about, he would feel obligated to protect her and thus more danger would be made for the group. Yet if she didn't say anything, she could possibly be endangering their lives even more. ACK! She did not want to be a burden to the already weary band of travelers. Whatever quest they were on was already perilous enough without having to care for a helpless young woman. Julie wanted to run away in the night so they wouldn't know of her departure. Chances were good she would end up dying in the woods of starvation or an Orc ambush...   
  
She gathered Pierre from the floor and put him in her purse. The only half-decent solution she could think of was to learn how to defend herself. If the village of Morlye wasn't too far away, she wouldn't have to tell anyone that some Evil Eye was looking for her. Sleep be damned, she wasn't going to even try to fall back to sleep. An evil eye and a lady in white were enough to Julie wary of hitting the hay.   
  
Instead, she began writing about what she saw in her journal, complete with rough sketches of the Evil Eye and the Lady in White. She missed home! True, she had been miserable and overlooked, but at least there weren't ten million different torturous, evil-creatured ways to die in Ohio. Patrick would love living in Middle Earth; the idea of running from monsters and fighting with real swords would over-load his hyperactive mind. Guys could be the heroes, and usually were in fantasy stories. Whereas the women had to wear ornately beaded, puffy gowns and pine for their brave love's safety. Bull puckey! Julie knew how to ride a horse, her grandparents on the Anderson side owned a farm in the country. She had been riding since she was 6, and personally she thought there were better things to do than curl her hair and play dress up. Secretly, she wished she were more graceful. And that her thighs would shrink some. And that her hair would grow longer. Overall, though, she was happy with herself. At least she had been back in Ohio. Now, she was playing by a completely different set of rules in another game. Her life now relied on basic survival skills that she did not possess.   
  
Julie distractedly closed the journal and replaced it in her purse. Odd, all that remained of her life was jammed into her purse. It was all she owned in the entire world. The thought scared the hell out of her. She worriedly paced in front of the window, causing Eris to mew in concern. Heh, even the griffin-hawk felt obliged to protect her.   
  
"Is everything groovy, Miss Julie?" Samwise peeked at her. He noticed her flushed face and the protective way in which her arms wrapped around her middle. "You should be restin' if your tummy is achin'." His eyes softened. Julie gave him a watery smile.   
  
"Nah, I'm not tired and my tummy isn't bothering me anymore."   
  
"Miss Julie, will you please tell us more about Ohio?"  
  
"Sure thing, Sam." Julie came out from behind the privacy screen. She took a seat with Pippin on his bed. Frodo and Merry sat on the opposite bed, and Sam scooted beside Julie.   
  
"What do you Hobbits want to know about? Anything in particular?"   
  
"Are you married?" Pippin asked innocently enough.   
  
"Uh, no. I'm only 19 years old and I live with my mom and my brother, Patrick."   
  
"Are there apples in Ohio?" Merry asked.   
  
"Yes, as weird as it is. But there aren't any Hobbits in Ohio. Or Elves, Dwarves, or wizards. Only people. And there isn't any magic, or big scary Orcs."  
  
"Dragons?"   
  
"No dragons."   
  
The Hobbits made sounds of disbelief.   
  
"Is there beer in Ohio?"  
  
"Ha! There will always be beer in Ohio!" Julie laughed and the Hobbits joined in.   
  
"What about war?"   
  
"There really aren't big, over-drawn battles between people. When anyone goes to war, they use planes and bombs. Planes are machines that fly, and bombs are big round things that explode whenever they hit the ground."  
  
"They rain fire from the sky?"   
  
"Yes. And they destroy everything. That's the nature of man-to destroy and to gain money. Hey hey. Don't look so gloomy, guys. Not everyone is bad. Take Gandalf Rumble-Snores and Aragorn, for example. They are men of honour and courage. They have noble hearts."   
  
"Do you miss Ohio?"   
  
Julie nodded, unable to say anything. If they only knew...   
  
"I miss the Shire." Frodo commented in a small voice. "I miss home."   
  
Everyone was speechless, consumed by their private thoughts and inner sorrows. Dang, it was depressing.   
  
"All right! Enough wallowing around in self-pity. My lads, let's go get something to drink! My treat." Who cared if it was still too early in the afternoon to drink alcohol? They drink all the time in France, Julie justified. After Frodo locked the door behind them, he gave the key to Julie. She shrugged and decided to slip the key into the crevice of her bodice like she had seen done in sooo many movies.   
  
There weren't that many people in the tavern, compared to the evening before. The air was stale with pipe smoke and old beer. Julie was beginning to think this was the best Middle-Earth could offer, and right now it was The Ritz.   
  
"Five pints." Pippin ordered from a barmaid. He used a flint stone to light up his pipe, Julie quirked an eyebrow when he told her it was "Hobbit Weed".   
  
"Sure it is! Wink wink!" She winked dramatically at him.   
  
"What?!" He laughed, not getting her inference.   
  
"Nothing. I was only teasing you." She had trouble lifting the heavy beer stein to her lips. Some of the foam went into her nose, causing her to cough and sneeze at the same time. As Julie used her sleeve to wipe her face, she noticed a table of men in the corner of the tavern watching her with hungry eyes. In Ohio, she'd call them seedy, but in Middle-Earth, she'd call them tavern scum. Every world needed their supply of brazen perverts, and that is what those men were. Julie averted her eyes, her first instinct was to protect the Hobbits. They had to get out of this situation before anything bad had a chance to happen. "Come on, let's go back up to the room. Bring your beer, kiddies." Julie did her best not to make glaring eye contact with the table of three men. Too late, one of the men laughed heartily and swaggered toward Julie and the Hobbits' table. The Hobbits tensed and Julie told them to stay calm. The man was a beast! He was at least 275 lbs and 6' woah-there tall. Damn! She left her purse in the room upstairs!   
  
"How much for your wench?"   
  
"Excuse me, Bubba?" Julie snorted.   
  
"I asked the gentlemen... How much for your wench."   
  
"She isn't ours. She belongs to Boromir of Gondor, a fierce and merciless   
warrior-prince." Frodo coughed smugly for show and took a large gulp of beer to strengthen his nerves.   
  
"Huh. I don't see no merciless warrior-prince around. Unless YOU'RE Boromir, little man." The Beast poked Frodo in the chest and hooked his finger around the ring he wore around his neck on a chain.  
  
"Don't touch that!" Sam yelled, bristling and jumping to his feet.   
  
The Beast quirked his lips and snapped the chain, holding the ring between his large fingers.   
  
"This ring must be valuable to you. The ring for the wench. I want you little maggots gone, I need some private time with the lady here." He smiled a disgusting, decayed grin. Julie was going to be ill.   
  
She saw hesitation frown across the Hobbits' faces. Sheesh, thanks guys! She felt unloved for a second until she realized the ring must be VERY important for them to seriously think about trading her off to Attila the Hun. Well, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. She took a self-defense seminar at college. True, it was only for one day. But she was sure she could take this guy out, and she wasn't talking about candlelight and dinner for two!   
  
"Give back the ring. And I'm yours." Julie's hand innocently went to her stroke her chest, right above the hint of her modest cleavage.   
  
"MISS JULIE!" Sam cried, shocked.   
  
"JULIE!!!" Pippin and Merry gaped. Frodo stared, aghast.   
  
"Come on, you can afford to share me." She turned to Pippin and winked in conspiracy. "Go to the room and wait for me to return." Her lips went to his cheek in a kiss as she whispered in his ear. She patted his leg and left the room key she secretly pulled from her bodice.   
  
"No! We can run..."   
  
"You need the ring. Don't pretend otherwise. And no one is going to get hurt because Bubba over there wants to play a little hanky panky with a wench. Go! Wake Gandalf. I'll be making a run for the room as soon as I can, but I don't know how things will turn out. Hurry!" She urged in a whisper, putting a hand on Merry's cheek and patting Samwise's moptop as she sashayed over to the Beast. "I think you have something that belongs to me?" She cast him a sultry glace and took the ring, knotted on the golden chain, from his large hands. She dangled the jewelry in front of his face like a hypnotizing pendulum then made a show of placing it in her bodice. Damn, a bodice was too much fun. Especially when it held wonderful little surprises for freaky perverts. The Hobbits reluctantly scurried from the table; Julie watched them flee up the stairs to the balcony that encircled the inside of the tavern. Merry and Sam watched her from outside the door as Frodo and Pippin ran inside to wake Gandalf.   
  
"You're a pretty thing." Bubba the Beast chuckled to himself as he took her by the arm and led her outside the tavern. Where the heck were they going? Back to the cave he crawled out of.   
  
"I know. Now let go of my arm." She tried to pry his dirty fingers from her arm. DAMN, she hadn't realized how big and strong he was.   
  
"Nay, Sweetness. You'll run away as soon as I let go. And we don't want that, now do we?"   
  
"I do, asshole!" Julie shouted, mule kicking his knee so it bent the wrong way. She heard the joint pop as he let go of her and tilted to one side in pain. Using the heel of her hand, she popped him one in the throat so he fell to the ground, gasping for breath.   
  
Flying on an adrenaline high, Julie didn't see his two friends coming at her until it was too late. Strong arms held her from behind: one arm gripped her by the throat and one arm snaked under her arm to grope at her breasts.   
  
Outraged and annoyed, Julie reached into her bodice to pull out her bodice dagger. She slashed the blade across the thick arm at her chest then ducked to avoid being caught again by the neck. She kicked him in the groin and panted as the bald man with torn clothes circled around her. Julie held the dagger firmly in her hand and breathed heavy. She didn't know if she had the strength to take on this guy. So she did what any other girl would do in this situation...  
  
"No! Don't use your battle-ax, Rory! He'll bleed too much when you hack his head off!" She hollered and pointed to a non-existent accomplice. Julie took off running as the bald man nearly tripped over his own two feet when he turned his head in fear. Julie didn't look back to see, she kept running back into the tavern. And boy, was is hell trying to run in a dress; she had her skirt hiked up all the way to her knees as she jumped over Bubba the Beast and flew toward the tavern. She ran right into Gandalf and nearly mowed over Merry and Frodo. The wizard put a gentle arm on her shoulder to steay her gait.   
  
"Right... behind... me!" She panted, twitching her head to where the bald guy was.   
  
"Allow me." Gandalf said in a smooth, mellow voice. He raised his staff and the three men were surrounded in a blue-grayish fog. Everyone watched at the men began to stumble around as if they were heinously drunk.  
  
  
  
"It is only a small confusion spell mixed with a potent memory lapse spell." The wizard winked. "The poor fellows won't remember what happened to them, which is all for the best, considering." He chuckled in wry amusement. They watched the men groan and walk in stumbling, bumbling circles. At that very instant, Legolas, Boromir, Aragorn, and Gimli returned to the tavern.   
  
  
"What the hell happened here?!" Aragorn surveyed the scene with wide eyes and a shaking head.   
  
"They tried to buy YOUR wench, Boromir!" Sam squeaked, nearly giggling.   
  
"My...? Oh! Yes!" Boromir's lips curled into an attractive, bright smile.   
  
"Julie, are you unharmed?" Legolas' brow furrowed in all seriousness as he prowled to her and touched her arm. Julie blushed at the realization that she enjoyed it when he touched her arm. Both men had held her arm in the same place, yet the touches and the meaning behind them were totally different.   
  
"I'm okay! Just kind of nervous and jittery."   
  
It was Legolas' turn to blush and step back.   
  
"The lass can't be left alone! Anyone as beautiful as she is BOUND to attract trouble! Aruff!" Gimli barked though pleased that Julie had handled herself so well.   
  
"No one ever mad such a fuss about a wrinkled old goat like me. Hmph." Gandalf adjusted the rim of his hat.   
  
"Still. I worry about Lady Julie's safety. We all are more concerned." Boromir added.   
  
"Uh, just teach me how to use my Halberd. Once I can defend myself I won't be such a burden." She tried to be convincing, but no one believed her. "Hey! I'm not completely helpless! Just because I am a girl doesn't mean I am stupid or weak! Where I come from, you aren't faced with having to fight for your life every hour and you don't need to know how to use a sword and there aren't so many hideously evil things running around trying to hurt you and I'm really scared right now and I'm going to cry all over the place because I really need a hug because I can't stop babbling and I probably sound really really stupid but I don't care because I just had three guys come after me and I didn't think I could make it out of this alive but I managed to do it and yes, I'm crying all over the place again like a stupid idiot-" She gasped to take a big breath and found herself wrapped in someone's assuring arms. Her eyes squeezed shut to stop the flow of tears from spilling onto her cheeks. Damn, she really needed to stop crying all the time.   
  
But, who was hugging her?! 


	10. Chp 10: Romance in the Meadow

Title: The Road is Destiny  
Author: Firefly Lantern   
Rating: PG-13 for language and violence  
  
Author Note: [kind of mean, but I'm making a point here] Okay, here it is. I openly admit I have written a Mary Sue type story ::gasp!::. And you know what? I don't care what any "Tolkien Purists" have to say about it. Whine all you would like, but please, if you are going to tell me this story isn't HARDCORE Tolkien or whatever belittling tidbits you'd like to throw my way, please email me instead of taking up space on the review board. Thankies. ^.^. This story is for FUN. I am not trying to create a masterpiece in the style of Tolkien, I prefer creativity and originality to redundancy. Okies? An open mind is a wonderful thing! Have fun on the journey.   
Hang in with me here!   
  
Disclaimer: JRR owns the LOTR characters. Any other modern things mentioned here belong to the makers, etc.   
  
Oh, and P.S. Love is in the air! I really hope this isn't too corny. . . I wanted to add more romance to the story! It's about time, don't you think!? Please, tell me what you think of this chapter because I have ~very~ mixed emotions on it. Thanks!  
  
  
  
  
_The Road is Destiny_  
  
  
  
She handed Frodo his ring and in the next instant, her face was pressed comfortingly against the strong width of somebody's chest. One arm wrapped around her waist while the other went up from her back to place a steady hand in the middle of her shoulders. Soothing words were whispered but she had no clue what was being said. Heavens! That is what she needed now, to have a thread of security to hang on to. She needed to feel protected and loved because she was cared about, not because someone felt obligated to watch over her like a nanny does with small children.   
  
It felt so good to be held. Julie didn't care if it wasn't meant in "That" way. Love was universal in that it did not always have to revolve around romance. Hey, she wanted romance, but she would gladly take love however she could get it.   
  
Was it Aragorn? Boromir? No, it couldn't be Legolas. Gimli...? Gandalf wasn't close enough to hug her.  
  
Let's be logical here.   
  
Aragorn had a ladylove somewhere waiting for him, so holding Julie would be out of the question. Yeah, it was kind of weird, but she understood he had a girlfriend already and he wanted to keep his faithfulness to her, as well as keep up the appearance of being faithful.   
  
Okay then. Gimli was out of the question since he wasn't taller than her, so he couldn't be the one hugging her.   
  
That left only Boromir and Legolas. . .   
  
Well, Boromir had been acting more interested in her lately, he was always a gentleman. Was he concerned with her welfare, or was he concerned with much more? How old was he? Early 30's perhaps? He was attractive, but Julie didn't feel a pull to him. He would protect her, though...   
  
Oh Lord. It wasn't Legolas; Julie didn't try to fool herself. After the way she behaved, she was lucky he could even look at her let alone hold her! But how she wished it were him! Part of her wanted it to be him, yet she wouldn't know what to do if it was him. Everything would change! AGAIN! And Julie didn't know if she could keep up with everything that had happened to her already.   
  
From the corner of her eye, she saw blurred figures of the Hobbits and Gandalf retreat into the tavern. Merry actually waved, but she couldn't seem to find her arm to wave back. Why were they leaving?! She pressed her fingers into one of the cloak-covered arms that held her. Okay, it was now or never.   
  
Oh. My. Goodness.   
  
There was a green tunic under a sepia brown cloak.   
And a leather strap which held a quiver over his shoulder.   
And my, what lovely blonde hair he had. . .   
  
  
Julie's eyes were tear-sparkling orbs as she looked up into his face with surprised awe and faint confusion.   
  
"Legolas... ...?" She managed to say in a quiet, questioning voice. This made no sense! Oh goodness, were Aragorn and Boromir watching? Wait, where the hell did Aragorn and Boromir go?! Even Gimli had left! What was going on here? "What...?"  
  
"They thought it best for you to have time alone. I was chosen to watch over you, Julie." Legolas bowed his head in respect. He didn't mention receiving knowing glances from Aragorn as well as looks of disgust from Gimli. They figured Julie would be more comfortable with Legolas since he was really the first person she had seen in Middle-Earth, which gave them sort of a mother-child bond. But there was nothing motherly about Legolas' feelings... "Come, I have something to show you." A mischievous smile flashed across his lips and was gone as soon as Julie blinked.   
  
"What?"  
  
He did not reply. Instead, he offered his arm, which she took after a moment of hesitation. What was this crazy boy up to? Julie decided to ignore the fact he only hugged her earlier because he was chosen to be her babysitter. If she ignored it, she wouldn't be hurt so much. La la la. . . Where the heck was he taking her? They walked through the marketplace, past a row of thatched-roof houses, and past a small dairy farm. She was happy to see the cows were nice and fat. It meant a good year for the farmer.   
  
"You wanted to show me cows? We have those back in Ohio. Sorry to disappoint you." Julie teased. Legolas' lips quirked into a slight grin; Julie felt her heart skip a beat. She felt proud to have made him smile. She nearly shook with nervous energy, Middle-Earth was going to drive her off the edge, she knew it! So much stuff had happened in the last few days; it was hard for her to believe reality was real anymore.   
  
Julie tried her best not to lean against Legolas as they walked down the dirt and pebble road. He was a pillar of strength, but what right had she to burden him with her weepiness? Hell, why were they even walking down a road together? Did he ... like her? Ugh, it was all too confusing; Julie was done trying to make sense out of anything.   
  
She let him lead her off the road and down a gently sloping hill where wildflowers grew in abundance. A faint melody carried through the treetops on the breeze as if the trees were singing. She wouldn't doubt trees could sing; it wouldn't surprise her in the least. Julie was so wrapped around her own thoughts that she didn't realize Legolas had stopped and was staring out across a flower-mottled meadow.   
  
"Oh!" She laughed in embarrassment. "This is lovely! I'm in heaven now." Her eyes closed and she breathed in the sweet, pollution-free country air. She felt like she belonged in one of those fabric softener commercials where flowers and twinkles erupted when the actor opened the container and took a BIG sniff. Julie realized how commercial her life had been until this point; marketing sex and luring people into buying name brand items wasn't a priority here at all. They didn't have that luxury.   
  
"Heaven?"   
  
"A pretty place." She smiled, welcoming a happy moment in the midst of her personal gloom. Her heart told her to take off running through the meadow. She wanted to keep running and never stop; she wanted to move across the land with the spirit of a doe realizing the preciousness of freedom. It was a feeling that had a strong impact on her. "It's so... beautiful here." Julie whispered in a choked voice; she spoke in such a hushed voice, she didn't think Legolas heard.   
  
He did.   
  
"Do you wish to walk further?"   
  
"Yes." Julie nodded, amazed she still held Legolas' arm.   
  
"Do I disconcert you? We can return to the tavern." He said stoically. Emotions tore at him; he wanted Julie to like him as much as she liked the Hobbits.   
  
"No no!" Julie coughed, blushing a little. "I feel comfortable with you. . . But I'm sorry about how I acted the other night. *I* should be the person asking if I disconcert *you*." She admitted. " Legolas, you're a wonderful guy. I'm really happy it was you who found me out in the woods. Otherwise, who knows what would have happened to me. I owe you a lot for your kindness." She smiled and patted his arm the way she had patted Sam's curly head so many times.   
  
Yep, this was nice and friendly with no romantic undertones whatsoever. Julie nearly screamed in frustration. Legolas was just acting as her babysitter, and that was that. She was fine with the situation. Oh well. There was probably some lucky snaggle-toothed, cock-eyed goat farmer out there lookin' to fix himself up with a pretty missus. So there was still hope for her love life... She shivered at the thought. "Um... Do you mind if I sit down for a little bit?" Julie couldn't help but let out a little yawn. She needed to rest, but no way in hell was she going to fall asleep again...   
  
Legolas moved to remove his cloak for her to sit on. Julie laughed and shook her head.   
  
"I'm okay! Buttercups don't bite." She said quickly and plopped down onto the ground; her brown skirt poofed out at her sides like a toasted marshmallow. She bent her head and smoothed out the material the best she could. When she looked up, Legolas was seated right beside her. She didn't even hear him move! "How do you do that?" She noticed his bow resting in the grass at his side.  
  
"What, Julie?"  
  
"Move so... nimbly? You remind me of a cat."   
  
  
"It is the way of the Elves." Legolas smiled at her. His legs were outstretched with one leg bent so he could rest his elbow on his knee. Was it possible to be the epitome of grace while sitting down? Julie hit at her skirt, trying to get it to unpoof. She was doomed to be ungraceful and silly-looking just like everyone else from North America! Hmph.   
  
"Do you miss it, your home?" She occupied her attention with the dizzy twirling of a buttercup between her thumb and pointer finger.   
  
"Mirkwood is where my thoughts stray. I have not seen the forest in 5 months."   
  
"I'm sorry. I understand some of what you're going through." Julie said, tucking the buttercup behind her ear. "Mirkwood sounds like a beautiful place... I've never met a prince before. The United States is run by an elective democracy, not a hereditary monarchy like England and I bet Mirkwood, too. . .Ummmm. Never mind." She coughed, embarrassed to be babbling to a PRINCE about politics, of all things.   
  
"Democracy?"  
  
"It's the rule by the people, for the people. Justice for all and that kind of thing. Don't worry about it; forget I mentioned it. I'm not in Ohio anymore, so I shouldn't talk about it. Everything is so different here. When I talk about anything, all I do is confuse people." She let out a deep breath and collapsed backward onto the grass. The sky was an optimistic shade of light blue. Lazy swirls of white clouds slowly drifted by on a wind Julie didn't feel. Middle-Earth had a sun, too, so not everything was so different. Elves, Hobbits, and slobbering evil creatures were what made her head spin.   
  
Julie squinted as the sun shone in her eyes. Her cheeks warmed and she took in a steady breath of oxygen. A small yawn escaped her lips and her nose tickled.   
  
"Legolas...?"  
  
"Yes?"   
  
"Can I ask how old you are?"   
  
"If you desire to do so..."   
  
"All right. How old are you?"   
  
"How old do you believe me to be?"   
  
"Hmm, now that's a tough question. I have no clue how well elves age. You could be three hundred years old for all I know! But you look like you're ... 23? 24? Somewhere in that range. Am I right?"   
  
"If you think you are right."   
  
"Legolas!" Julie playfully swatted at him. He took her hand and brushed her palm with the pad of his thumb. She gave a haughty sniff as he turned her hand over and placed a lingering kiss in the cradle of her palm. Julie smiled sweetly and hit him upside his head with her other hand. She tossed him a smug glance. "You have to try a lot harder than ~that~, Mr. Smooth."   
  
Legolas was flushed and his blue eyes held an attractive gleam.   
  
"Julie...?" He asked in a polite yet timid voice.   
  
"Yes?"   
  
"Would it be proper to seek a kiss?"   
  
"If you think you are right." She echoed his comment and laughed mischievously. Julie put her arms on his shoulders, gave him a brief peck on the lips, and then pushed him over on the way to her feet. He stared at her in open-mouthed shock until he realized it was a game. She giggled nervously as he got to his feet with a wide smile and a determined set of his brow. Julie hiked up her skirt and took off into a relaxed jog through the meadow. She looked back, knowing he probably ran as fast as a deer. He did, of course. She turned around and nearly fell backward as she found herself wrapped in his arms!   
  
"May I?" Legolas stroked her hair as he smiled at her flushed cheeks.   
  
"You may." Julie replied. He was a lot taller than her, but he moved without awkwardness. His long-fingered hands were gentle as they cupped the sides of her face. He smiled slightly as his fingertips brushed her upper lip. This was one of those things that felt real but happened in a heart-pounding haze. Julie was so excited and nervous that she couldn't remember if she was still breathing. She smiled at Legolas and tilted her head back, ready for anything. He smiled back and leaned forward and Julie stood on her tips toes as their lips met in a sincere, innocent kiss. It was nothing like the overly dramatized kisses in movies. It was an honest connection between two people who were still shy about their feelings.   
  
And Legolas was a considerate gentleman, he didn't try to turn the kiss into some kind of dominating show of passion like so many guys from Ohio thought was cool to try. His lips were soft and enticing in their gentleness. Julie couldn't reach to touch his cheek without threat of falling over, so her hands rested on the firm breadth of his chest for support. Her lips tingled. Her entire body tingled. Her shoulders shivered at the sensation.   
  
After a few seconds, Legolas pulled away and placed a kiss on her forehead. He held her to him, protectively, and stroked her hair. Oh damn, what had she gotten herself into...? She couldn't even bribe a half-decent guy in Ohio to be her boyfriend, and now she was sharing a hotel room with 9 other men! Not to mention having a lovey-dovey interlude in a meadow with an elf! She really, really liked Legolas and was attracted to him. . . But would it work out between them? He was an Elven Prince and she was a human from a low middle-class family. Not to forget the fact that she was from a completely different dimension of space and time... Little details in the biased eyes of love? Maybe. Legolas was everything she needed and wanted right now, at this very moment. It didn't matter that he was a prince. He was beautiful, noble, humble, mysterious, and virtuous. She never met anyone like him and there would never be anyone like him even if she could travel to all the existing dimensions in the mad mad universe.   
  
"Legolas, are you okay with everything? I don't want to distract you from your quest-"  
  
"It's all good ... and a bag of skittles." He used the term he overheard her calling to Pippin. He said it so perfectly serious and straight-faced that Julie couldn't contain her amusement. She groped at his tunic as she doubled over with laughter. A crestfallen frown weighted Legolas' face as he watched Julie's uproarious fit. "What..."  
  
"Oh! No no no... I'm not making fun of you! I'm laughing because you are funny. You make me feel happy." She coughed, trying to stifle the last of her chuckles. Before she could catch her breath, Legolas swooped in for another kiss. This time it was brief, straightforward, and to the point. It took her breath away. WoW. Speechlessly Julie craned her neck to blink up at him.  
  
"Pardon my brash behaviour... I should not have been so unmannered. You are a lady, Julie, and I pray I have not offended your honour." Legolas bowed. She could see he was stricken with guilt for wanting to kiss her. Did he want to write a letter to Julie's mother to ask for permission to woo her daughter? Shoot, the only wooing most guys nowadays did was saying some "Hey Baby" line and offering to share their half-slurped up cherry icee. It was flattering that he wanted to be proper and follow the protocol of Middle-Earth dating. Did that mean he wanted to marry her? Julie pushed the thought from her mind instantly; she didn't want to put herself in a mental meltdown.   
  
"Legolas, it's okay. What I mean is... Your intentions are honourable. You have been nothing but respectful, protective, and kind to me since you found me. We've only known one another for a few days and things are emotional and intense now. There's a LOT of confusion everywhere, so don't feel bad for wanting to keep a level head. If you think romance is too much to handle now, I understand. So much has happened over the last few days..." Julie shook her head.   
  
Legolas contemplated her words and nodded thoughtfully.   
  
"My thoughts are scattered to the wind. I acted without truly thinking. I apologize."   
  
"Don't! You're only confusing yourself more. What happened... happened. And that's that! If neither of us are ready, it's fine. We can slow it down and be... friends. We don't have to go any further than where we are already. We can always pick up where we left off later... After all this insanity is done and we aren't fearing for our lives or fighting for survival." Ouch. Did she just give him a modified "Let's be friends" speech? Sigh, this was so difficult to do.   
  
"You are strong woman, Julie, and fiercely intelligent. If you can forgive me for my behaviour, I will gladly do as you wish. I will not have another moment of weakness. For you I will be strong." His head bowed once more. His voice set in firm determination. Julie took his hand and held it to her heart.   
  
"Thank you. I don't want to make you feel awkward around the other guys or me. "  
  
"You have my word, Julie." Legolas replied almost coldly. Julie could tell he was doing his best to keep his emotions in check. His stoicism made an unsettling feeling flutter in her stomach. Oh goodness, what had she gotten herself into? 


	11. Chp 11: A Promise is Made

Title: The Road is Destiny  
  
Author: Firefly Lantern  
  
Rating: PG-13 for language and violence  
  
Author Note: Wow, I'm changing my author note; I haven't had any problems thus far with any "Tolkien-Purists" swatting at me with their autographed copies of the Fellowship of the Ring, phew! Not that there is anything wrong with digging JRR ^.- .  
  
Disclaimer: JRR owns the LOTR characters. Any other modern things mentioned here belong to the makers, etc.  
  
Oh, and P.S. AH! -53- reviews!!!! W@wzers! BIG hugs and party hats to everyone who has written a review! Thanks for hanging in here with me! I am SO sorry for not writing in sooooo long! I am going to work extra hard over holiday break to start getting more chapters out. Yay! Everyone go see TTT, it's out and it's awesome!  
  
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!  
  
  
  
_The Road is Destiny_  
  
"Do you wish to return to the tavern?"" Legolas asked in a polite, detached voice. His eyes were lost in a trance as he stared down the road.  
  
"We should head back, the others are probably wondering if we got lost." Julie admitted. Legolas gave a slight smile, more strained than sincere, and mannerly offered his arm. Julie accepted and found herself at his side once more, comforted by the warmth of his body. She and Legolas would share a special bond no matter what the future held. She felt it in her heart. Was she right?  
  
"Legolas. Please. Don't shut me out. No matter what happens, I will be your friend. I promise." She stopped and held onto his elbow as if pleading. Her eyes shone with the painful force of honesty.  
  
"Do you swear it, Julie?" He asked slowly and clearly. The question was given to her in such a bland voice, void of bias, hope, or scorn. Any answer, good or bad, would be accepted. Was he hiding his own fear?  
  
"Yes, I swear it. The bracelet I gave you can be proof of it, remember? I gave it to you to show I had trust in you."  
  
"Then I must give something to you in return." An enigmatic slant tilted his face as he amused himself with his private thoughts. He obviously knew what he was giving her, but he wasn't going to share his secret.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Later I shall give you a surprise."  
  
"All right, but it better not be a bow and arrows. I'm terrible with it."  
  
"As the lady prefers." He did a slight bow and Julie moved to swat at his shoulder. He caught her hand and both girl and Elf froze, watching one another. Legolas reclined his head in earnest and Julie quirked an eyebrow before they continued their walk back.  
  
"Legolas, will you teach me how to fight?" Julie blurted. " I really want to learn how. I need to learn how."  
  
"You have fared well thus far. I've never seen a broom wielded by more capable hands." That sly, impish grin curled the corner of his lips; he did he best to hide his smiles as well as his feelings, Julie noticed. If only she were as cool and composed.  
  
"Heh, you should get a look at me when I just have my trusty purse. Back home, purses that big are called "man beaters" for a good reason." She laughed. "Really though. I don't want to be helpless in the next fight I'm in. I don't care if it's not a woman's place to fight. I want to be able to handle myself."  
  
Legolas nodded in false agreement. Julie could never be helpless, especially with him watching over her. He forbid anything to happen, he did not want her to be exposed to the gruesome bloodshed of battle. Had she ever seen a man take a mortal wound? Had she ever witnessed a man die at the hands of a sword? He shuddered at the horror yet unknown to her. It was his duty, as the one who found her and swore her protection on his kingdom, to ensure her safety. Did she realize it? His arrow was the arrow that found its mark on the disfigured forehead of the Orc that attacked her in the forest.  
  
He saw how the Orcs attention was split on Frodo and the girl from Ohio. Perhaps ht e Orcs were attracted by her perfume? Or the knowledge that women and children were usually the easiest targets to kill in a fight. Orcs were not attracted by beauty; they spurned and despised it.  
  
He glanced at Julie from the corner of his Elf-eyes. How could he find a child of man to be so beautiful? She was not tall and reed-slender as an Elf. She was. small and had a figure that curved enticingly as if asking to be smoothed over with the gentle hands of a lover.  
  
"Where did you learn hand-to-hand combat? Those men outside the tavern were strong and reeked with ale."  
  
"From a woman's seminar at college. An officer from the Marine Corps came in and taught us a few things like an eye gouge, arm hold, wristlock, and a simple takedown."  
  
Legolas was impressed.  
  
"What was your craft in Ohio? Did you farm? Weave? Sew clothes? Or were you of high society?"  
  
"Me? Farm?! On no, never. I was a student and . a barmaid. A respectable one. I served customers their food and drinks. And if anyone had touched me, they'd have been thrown out. There are sexual harassment laws against stupid stuff like that." Heck, the wench-wages in Middle-Earth were probably more than what J.R. Hickory paid his employees at the "Hickory Stick", the most back-woods 'hick-ery' in the state. Julie laughed to herself at the memories of working there. "Hmm. I'll probably have to learn a craft now. Should I be the butcher, the baker, or the candlestick maker?"  
  
They made way through the tavern and made haste up the stairs. Legolas' knuckles rapped a lively beat on the heavy wood of the room's door. An equally quick rhythm tapped from the other side; to which Legolas replied with a third and different rhythm. What was this, dueling door-knockers? The door opened by the hands of a relieved Merry.  
  
"Enjoy your walk, Julie?"  
  
"Yes, the fresh air was good for me." She patted his head when he moved to close the door behind Legolas.  
  
"Shouldn't you be resting and not walking?" Pippin asked in a slightly accusing tone. It hid his worry.  
  
"Er. well."  
  
"Aye, rest, lass. Tomorrow, we begin on our journey once more. The nearest village is at least a week's travel away." Gimli urged. A week!? Julie's eyes widened. This was turning out to be one long, peril-wrought camping trip from hell.  
  
"Okay, I'll go 'get my rest on' since you guys are so pushy about it." Julie grumbled and slumped her shoulders. "I'm not delicate, you know. Because I'm a girl. I played soccer in high school." She said proudly.  
  
Everyone stared blankly at her. What was soccer? Their puzzled faces asked. "Nevermind. Save some dinner for me." She grumbled to herself and waved to everyone as she sluffed behind the privacy screen. She suddenly felt very alone again, even though she was in a small room with 9 men. It was like being the only girl in a Boys-Only treehouse club, and she was the one who had to leave.  
  
She did not belong here.  
  
Something told Julie the next week was going to be a rough haul. She refused to let herself give up or fall into despair; she didn't have the option of quitting and going home.  
  
Julie began to pace in front of the small window and watched Eris circle above the village below. The ebony Griffin-hawk's wings curled like wisps of smokes as she glided on a breeze. Eris appeared so peaceful and free. Julie was envious.  
  
She stretched out on her bed and started out the window. What was out there for her? What dangers and adventures were waiting for her? Her own adventure started in the middle of an even grander happening- whatever Frodo and those guys were up to that involved Orcs and a ring. By coming to Middle-Earth, her fate was now intertwined with the fates of the Nine. Was her presence in this world an interference with the greater scheme of their lives? Could she somehow force them to travel the wrong road?  
  
The unanswerable questions frustrated Julie and weakened her resolve to be strong. She would follow wherever Aragorn would lead because he knew the way to take without getting lost. He'd take her to her new home and from that moment on, her connections to her new friends would be broken. Wouldn't they?  
  
It was painful to think about, but Julie felt they had a right to their own destinies without her interference. She reached for her journal and scribbled her scattered thought on a fresh, neatly lined page. The words "road" and "destiny" caught her eye and captivated her. Everything else blurred out of sight in her mind. Struck by inspiration, she flipped to the front cover of the journal-and empty page that her fingers itched to write on-and carefully penned:  
  
the road is destiny.  
  
The phrase held a special meaning to her; nothing else could come close to capturing how she felt. Julie didn't have a clue where she was going, but it wasn't like she had a choice in the matter. Hopefully, she would see Legolas again. She did not want to lose him to battle, or the forgetfulness often caused by time. She put her journal away and hugged Pierre to her chest. He was her only shred of comfort left, and she did not want to let go. 


	12. Chp 12: Nightmares and Dying Moonlight

Me Title: The Road is Destiny  
  
Author: Firefly Lantern  
  
Rating: PG-13 for language and violence  
  
Author Note: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed and who is staying with the story! I'll try not to take too many liberties with the Tolkienverse.  
  
Disclaimer: JRR owns the LOTR characters. Any other modern things mentioned here belong to the makers, etc.  
  
Oh, and P.S. Yay, another chapter! Sorry for all the typos, ladies and gents, but for some reason my "spellchecker" doesn't do a very good job. I guess I should ~pay~ Pippin for his work, or find a booster chair for him so he can actually sit and comfortably and reach the keyboard [instead of having to stand on my LOTR boxed trilogy set]. ::cracks the whip!::. What? Running a fanfiction mill with Hobbits as spellcheckers and typist-slaves? Nooooo. Who, me?  
  
Extra note: (Teh typos are not Pippin's falut !!1 He kneeds a better chair and a labour union!)  
  
Just some typo humour ^_^*.  
  
  
  
  
  
_The Road is Destiny_  
  
  
  
Julie was awake the instant her eyes opened.  
  
She sat up and kicked her feet over the edge of the bed. The world outside the window was still dark and cold, but she felt the morning sun would soon be rising. Yay for getting up early, Julie almost grimaced as she unfolded her clothes. Dang, she really needed to brush her teeth. And oddly enough, she had a toothbrush, thanks to Boromir. Heh, she never would have expected the peoples of Middle-Earth to care about their dental hygiene, but they did. The brushes they used were made from bone and bristle and were cheap enough for anybody to own. The downside was that instead of having minty-fresh, kissable-clean toothpaste, the only kind of 'toothpaste' available here was a blue-green mixture of salts and minerals that reminded Julie of gritty sea algae. Cack! Her nose wrinkled even as she thought about the foul concoction. Julie smiled as she quietly laced up her boots; at least two people on the other side of the screen were snoring, but she couldn't tell who.  
  
She had stayed in the room last night as the men-crew went drinking . again. The wine from last night still made her head fuzzy; she couldn't take being hung over if she had to be hiking through the wilderness in the early morning. Uh-uh. No way; no how. Boromir offered to stay upstairs with her for a while, and she was flattered at his kindness. He was a serious, almost tortured man, Julie noticed. He didn't seem to take well to stress, and she wished he would go downstairs and get punch-drunk. And relax, for his own sake. If anyone needed to get liquored up, it was Boromir. Pippin had then replaced Boromir as her babysitter, and the Hobbit was clever enough to bring two steins and a large pitcher of ale.  
  
Hobbits were such mini-alcoholics! It was astonishing. Those little guys liked getting sloshed off their rockers, and could probably out-drink a fraternity of college boys.  
  
Julie folded the heavy length of her cloak and rested her halberd on the bedcovers. It was such an intimidating weapon, and Julie was glad that Boromir helped her buy one that wasn't too long or cumbersome. Yes, it was definitely something she could drag into the forest and poke at some Orcs with. Now, she had to learn how to use it .  
  
"Julie. Are you awake?" A little voice whispered.  
  
"Yes, what's wrong?"  
  
"I had a nightmare." Merry's blonde head peeked from behind the privacy screen. His dark eyes reminded Julie of the innocent eyes of a fawn.  
  
"I know how ~that~ goes. C'mon over." She moved her halberd, purse, and cloak and helped hoist him onto her bed. "Are you okay? You look pale." She squinted as the dim moonlight began to fade. Merry leaped at her as if he had springs on his feet and hugged her tight.  
  
"I dreamed you were kidnapped by a cloaked rider . and I couldn't move to help you. He took you away, and there was nothing I could do. I know I woke up, but I thought it was real. I wanted to make sure you were still here... I'm sorry for bringing you, Julie. I mean, for taking you from your home." He stammered. "It's all my fault. I'm so sorry . ! "  
  
She cradled his head in the nook of her neck. Tears caused his voice to croak. Suddenly, she felt stupid for being such a crybaby when others were obviously [or not so obviously] suffering in more pain.  
  
"Merry, hey! It's all good. Everything's cool. It was an accident. You didn't mean to do it, and that's all that matters. You're sorry for what happened, but you can't take it back. I'm here and that's the end of it. Maybe I'll be happier here in Middle-Earth then back on plain old Earth. It's a mystery. Think how special you are for doing what the greatest wizards in your world can't do. You ripped through the fabric of freaking space and time to get me here. Pretty impressive if you ask me." She rubbed his back until his breathing calmed and he was asleep but still clinging to his waking memories.  
  
Julie slowly slipped out of his hold and let him settle down into the soft cover of the bed. She draped her cloak over him like a blanket. Julie had a lot of love and comfort to give, her own hard life made her sensitive to the most base need of all-the need to be loved. The group of guys, being bull-headed males, probably tried to keep every sorrow hidden, instead of allowing themselves to vent. Stupid male egos! She hmphed to herself and sat beneath the window in the waning moonlight. From the other side of the room, Julie heard the rustling of blankets and the light ta-thump of footsteps skittering across the floor.  
  
"Julie.?"  
  
"Yes?" She looked up to see Pippin's sheepish face smiling at her.  
  
"No one else is up and I can't sleep. I'm hungry."  
  
"Pull up a seat." She motioned to the less-than-welcoming stretch of cold wooden floor beneath the windowsill. "Do you want a piece of candy?"  
  
"What's candy?"  
  
"This is candy." From her purse, she pulled a generic butterscotch disc wrapped in shiny gold foil and held it out for Pippin. "Unwrap it and let the candy part melt in your mouth."  
  
His eyes lit up and he smiled from ear to ear as he tasted it.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Butterscotch."  
  
"Butterscotch. What's that from?"  
  
"Butter and sugar, I think. Most stuff is artificially flavored now-a- days." She spoke softly, careful not to wake anyone else.  
  
"Um. . . Julie, I'm happy you're. since Merry cast his spell. I've never seen Legolas smile until you fell out of the sky. Everyone seems happier now, since you're here . . . Thank you." He smiled and enjoyed the sweet taste of butterscotch. "You. don't happen to have any more candy with you, do you?"  
  
"Yes, Pippin. Help yourself." She gave him two more pieces, which his pudgy Hobbit fingers tore open in an instant. Legolas' Elfin ears tickled at the sound of Merry greedily unwrapping the sweet treat.  
  
So, it seemed even the little Hobbit noticed the change in his spirit. Julie was a welcomed distraction in this time of stress and uncertainty. Her smile vanquished the shadows from his heart, and her kindness made him forget the great evils of the world. He was not the only member of the Fellowship to be affected by her charm; it was a sight to see the Hobbits come to her in the night with their fears and sullen hearts. They sought comfort in Julie's soft voice and gentle manner. She sat under the windowsill with Pippin, talking quietly about delicious foods and recipes, until hints of sunlight began to throw warm tones onto the chilled darkness of the night sky.  
  
Legolas stood and stretched with the limber laziness of a cat. Since his kind never slept, he was given the important task of keeping watch through the night, as well as bearing the dreaded task of waking everyone in the morning.  
  
"First light! Dawn approaches! Rise from your beds, or be left behind!" Came his light-hearted wake-up call. Immediately, he was the target of several fearsome groans and an airborne pillow. "Thank you, Sam." Legolas smiled and caught the pillow as it sailed a course for his smirking face.  
  
"Keep it, pointy ears!" Sam huffed, still half asleep. He scratched the side of his head and ran his stout-fingered hand through the hornet's nest of his hair.  
  
"Where are Merry and Pippin?" Gandalf placed his hat on his gray head.  
  
"Keeping Julie company. She was the first to wake, while the moon still clung to the stars."  
  
Aragorn frowned as he tightened the laces of his leather tunic-vest.  
  
"I worry for her. It is unwise to move so suddenly after such an injury, but we have no choice. The sooner we reach Morlye, the sooner she will be safe." He buckled his sword-belt as he spoke.  
  
"Yes." Legolas agreed. And the sooner he would lose her .  
  
"Merry! Wake up, eh! It's time to get moving." Pippin shook Merry's shoulder roughly. "Merry!"  
  
"Pippin!" Merry growled with a laugh and tackled his cousin.  
  
Oh dear. Honey, it was too early in the morning for Hobbit wrestling, Julie closed her eyes and groaned. Pippin and Merry rolled off the bed and onto the floor; they came dangerously close to knocking over the privacy screen. Julie decided it was time to put her foot down.  
  
Literally.  
  
"Watch out!" Pippin squeaked as Julie pinned him to the floor by his chest. His arms flailed like the legs of a giant tortoise flipped helplessly onto its back.  
  
"Are you done?"  
  
"Yes! Lemme up, I can't breathe!" He choked dramatically. Julie didn't buy his act [thanks to rumbles and tumbles with her little brother, Patrick]. She helped him up anyway. "Julie, you're pretty strong. for a girl!" He stuck out his tongue and laughed before he skittered away. Ooooh! He was going to get it! She stayed put and resisted the urge to run after him; she feared accidentally bounding into the bunch of half-dressed men on the other side of the screen.  
  
"Are the provisions packed?" Boromir asked. The knot of his cloak-tie strangled around his neck like a tight noose. He undid it with difficulty then retied it with clumsy fingers.  
  
"Yes. Legolas and Sam tend to Bill; it is time to leave. The journey must be swift and silent. Gaernod Wood is not a place to overdue a stay." The Ranger replied darkly, giving Boromir a glimpse into the strain Aragorn hid behind dark eyes and a firm chin.  
  
"Are the legends true? Do witches and dancing devils live in the wood? It is myth, surely." Boromir laughed softly to himself.  
  
"We shall see, Boromir. We shall see." 


	13. Chp 13: The Hacking Song

Title: The Road is Destiny  
  
Author: Firefly Lantern  
  
Rating: PG-13 for language and violence  
  
Author Note: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed and who is staying with the story! I'll try not to take too many liberties with the Tolkienverse.  
  
Disclaimer: JRR owns the LOTR characters. Any other modern things mentioned here belong to the makers, etc.  
  
Oh, and P.S. Yay, another chapter! Sorry for taking **SO LONG** in updating, I've been swamped with schoolwork ,*. Props to Jim Henson!  
  
_The Road is Destiny_  
  
The dark chill of the morning faded into a warm, sunny afternoon. Travel was easy and undemanding, for a change. The gentle-hilled plains were free of biting brambles, knobby tree roots that caught boot toes, and pesky golf ball-sized insects. The relaxed mood of the group reflected how thankful they were to have a peaceful break. Finally, they could take a moment to enjoy one another's company.  
  
Aragorn and Legolas; however, were strictly business as usual. The solitary ranger walked a lengthy thirty feet in front of Legolas, and Legolas walked a good twenty feet in front of Gandalf and Gimli. Boromir and Julie were next down the line, followed by the Hobbits and a happy Bill.  
  
It felt weird for Julie to be talking to Boromir, she was too used to the child-like banter of Merry and Pippin to take anyone seriously anymore.  
  
"I, too, am firstborn. I have but one brother. His name is Faramir. By the kind Fates, I hope one day you shall meet him." Fond memories were a ghost on his dry lips.  
  
"I hope so, too." Julie nodded. "Gondor must be a grand place. Maybe one day I'll get the chance to visit." If orcs and thugs don't get to me first, she thought. Boromir smiled slightly and matched her pace. "Middle Earth is so beautiful, I've never seen anything like it. Everything is fresh and natural. And somehow you manage to have stuff like ovens, toothbrushes, and teapots. Amazing." She laughed. "But I still don't like orcs!"  
  
"Not many people do. If it weren't for the bravery of men, evil would infest these lands like a plague."  
  
"Evil?"  
  
"Trolls, goblins, dragons, wolves. and Orcs. Do not worry for the last dragon died generations ago." He looked at her with nurturing eyes. "It is the job of men to defend our homes and protect our villages."  
  
Julie could only nod as an imp of worry began to poke at her brain. Dragons, he said? It was scary enough to imagine those kinds of things living under her bed, but knowing they were real took fear to a whole new level. Being gnawed to death by some mystery beast wasn't on her Middle Earth to-do list.  
  
As they moved on, the terrain became rougher. The grass grew thicker and taller until Julie found herself surrounded by 4-foot tall reeds. Boromir left her to move frontward with Legolas and Aragorn.  
  
"Julie! I can't see!" Merry yelped and stretched his neck to try and see over the monstrous grass. "What is happening?"  
  
"Aragorn, Legolas, and Boromir are scouting ahead. They have their weapons out and son of a-." Julie hissed as a reed scratched across her knuckles. Damn, even the foliage was out to get her. "Let's make a chain! Grab onto the cloak of the person in front of you!" She called back to the Hobbits. Merry clung to her cloak, and soon Julie was leading the chain of linked little ones. She used her halberd to jab and whack a path wide enough for Bill to walk through comfortably.  
  
"Sing us a song, please?" Pippin pleaded softly.  
  
"Is it safe to sing?"  
  
"Yes, unless you are Gimli! His voice would drive a deaf man to madness!" Merry replied.  
  
"I'll write a memo to myself." Julie murmured in a low voice. What would be a suitable song? Here goes, she thought and cleared her throat. "Hit hit hit the grass, with a great big pole! Whack and hack and smack it up, until you make a hole!" She half-spoke, half-sung to the melody of 'Row Your Boat". Her words were accented by halberd jabs.  
  
"A wonderful hacking song!" Pippin loosened his hands to clap and tripped on Merry's cloak. He would have hit the ground, but Frodo held tight onto the back of his friend's cloak, which kept him from falling. "Quite nice, Frodo! Thank you!" Pippin brushed off his embarrassment. The repetition of hacking grass made Julie's mind wander; Boromir's words stuck with her. He picked the wrong time to talk about beasties and nasties. What did a goblin look like anyway? It was probably something more ugly than any muppet Jim Henson could ever create for a movie. Orcs were hideous creatures, Julie knew. They had fanged teeth and diseased skin. And the most dead, yellow eyes. She shivered and kept on the lookout for trouble.  
  
Her eyes caught Boromir glancing back at her. He smiled and gave a curt nod of his head. Julie smiled back, she was thankful that one of the 'in front' guys was sweet enough to talk to one of the lowly 'tail enders'. She cherished the small, sincere act of friendship. As her smile widened, she felt a small tug on her cloak. The small tug turned into a hard yank that snapped Julie's head back and made her stumble for balance.  
  
"Sorry. I . stumbled." Merry stammered out the words.  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
"Yes. Sorry."  
  
Julie patted his head and looked Boromir's way. He was already turned away; she only saw the broad plane of his back. It left her with an odd sense of distance and loss. She tried not to sneak a peek in Legolas' direction, but she couldn't resist.  
  
He moved through the tangle of grass with careless ease while everyone else panted and struggled their way through. Childishly, she stuck her tongue out at him. It wasn't like he could see her. Merry suggested they sing the hacking song again, and Julie agreed on the distraction.  
  
Though his crystalline eyes focused forward, his keen ears lingered on the voices of Julie and the Hobbits. He longed to be near her; he wanted to touch her. Even with a distance between them, he could still sense her and see her clearly in with eyes of his memory. The back of his neck tingled; the tips of his ears itched. Thinking about Julie heightened his senses, which in turn made his agitation grow. He straightened his shoulders and kept his gaze forward, straight, and unwavering.  
  
----------------------------  
  
"THIS is Garnod Wood" Julie blinked in disbelief. Even from a distance, she didn't like it one single bit.  
  
"The canopy grows high and thick, do not expect much sunlight to greet us." Gandalf's voice was a scratchy rasp as he lit his pip. Whatever he was smoking in his pipe to make himself so calm, he needed to share some with Julie.  
  
"All the more reason for us to make haste before nightfall. It will take three full days to reach the other side." Aragorn knelt on a rock to catch a quick rest. His jaw was set in a solemn line, but his mind was obviously in another place. Where are you, Aragorn? Julie wondered.  
  
"Stay close to me, Julie. I'll make sure you are safe." Merry said with the courage of a lion. He meant every word of his promise.  
  
"Thanks, Merry." She smiled. It made her feel a little bit better.  
  
A cheerful meow meeped from above.  
  
Eris swooped down from the sky like a gleeful winged demon and nearly dive- bombed Sam. Bill snorted and neighed in protest, but Eris didn't stop her flight. She hissed at Legolas and nipped at Pippin's curls as she flew to Julie's gloved hand.  
  
"What?" Julie blinked as everyone turned to her. "I can't help it if she doesn't fly away and be free! Eris, please don't try to eat Pippin, we love him!" She chided. Pippin glared. "I can't believe she likes me so much. . . Well, I guess every girl needs an attack pet."  
  
"You claim two, Julie." Legolas said to Merry and smirked. Merry puffed out his chest and snorted like a cranky bear. Aragorn laughed.  
  
"Come, we fly!" 


	14. Chp 14: Shelob and Golden Oldies

Title: The Road is Destiny  
  
Author: Firefly Lantern  
  
Rating: PG-13 for language and violence  
  
Author Note: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed and who is staying with the story! I'll try not to take too many liberties with the Tolkienverse.  
  
Disclaimer: JRR owns the LOTR characters. Any other modern things mentioned here belong to the makers, etc.  
  
Oh, and P.S. Yay, another chapter! 'Build Me Up, Buttercup" is a song by the Foundations. No copyright infringement.  
  
WOW, over 100 reviews. I didn't think I'd make it to that number, but here I am! BIG thanks to anyone who wrote a review. You are much appreciated!  
  
_The Road is Destiny_  
  
Gaernod Wood was an ugly place. It was that simple.  
  
The earth was dry and black; the bushes were thorned and brown. The trees were tall, but not proud. Their trunks twisted and curled like fingers of a hand straining painfully to touch something just out of reach. A stench of sickened decay clung to the stale air.  
  
Yuck.  
  
Julie coughed and held the back of her hand to her nose until the churning in her stomach settled. The forest was a foul place. Not to mention it gave her the heebie jeebies! The shivers climbing up her spine felt like the tickling, twitching legs of a spider crawling along her skin. Spider, she thought. Her mind dwelt on the hissing word. In the surreal space of her mind, Julie saw the venom-dripping fangs and orbed eyes of a giant spider. Fragments of images flashed in her own eyes until she saw an entire but small scene played out in her mind:  
  
A twinkle of blue-white light winked like a beacon in the darkness. The timid twinkle waned as it moved closer to a hidden evil. Thick cobwebs draped on a rocky cliffside (they reminded Julie of the lacey doilies her grandmother put on the arms of her overstuffed reclining chair). A giant spider gurgled and hissed at the unfortunate souls wandering into its lair.  
  
"Mr. Frodo, hide the light!" Sam Gamgee's voice was a frightened wail. It came a second too late to hide. The spider knew they were there.  
  
"Run, Sam!" Frodo panted and fell in his haste to flee. His stubby fingers clawed into the sharp gravel of the earth as he scrambled to his feet.  
  
"JULIE!" a shrill shriek brought her back with a start. Merry latched onto her arm and anchored her from moving further. She blinked in confusion. And came nose-to-thorn with one of the lovely daggerbushes thriving in the black forest. She squeaked like a little mouse and hopped backward. "You were about to walk into that! Did it get you?" Merry's eyes widened.  
  
"No, thank goodness. I owe you one, Merry, my good fellow." Julie let out a thankful puff of air and rubbed her dry eyes. She affectionately patted his head and ruffed up his hair.  
  
"One what?"  
  
"If you ever need to be saved from nasty shrubbery, I'll make sure ~you~ are safe. Promise." She smiled to hide her embarrassment. Damn, the others must think she was a spaz. Or a crackhead, if they ever would learn what a crackhead was. Every time she tried to be independent and show she was a capable young woman, something happened to make her look stupid. Or utterly helpless. She frowned. The creepy spider daydream had her dazed. What the heck was it about, anyway? Before Julie fell into Middle Earth, she never had a dream where her friends were snack food for monsters. Before, all of her dreams happened when she was asleep versus being wide-awake and walking through the woods. The spider dream was more intense and richer than any other daydream she remembered having. Not only could she perfectly see what was going on, but she could also feel the coldness of the night and hear the quietest hush of Frodo's breath. It was too weird . And real.  
  
Julie would add it to her journal when she got the chance. This story would make one hell of a book if she ever got home.  
  
------  
  
As long as the sun shone, travel wasn't too scary. It was when the light began to fade that Julie and the others began to worry. The air became cooler, which made the Hobbits shiver like little lost children. Julie took Bill's reins to give Sam a break from leading the pony. Eris perched on the bedrolls strapped to the pony's back, so Julie had a free hand. A hand that really wasn't so free when Pippin held it tightly.  
  
Julie was amazed at how the Hobbits turned to her for comfort and help. She hoped she wasn't babying them too much. Yet, she could see the fear and fatigue weighing down their chubby faces-the same faces that usually were wide with smiles but were now frowning. She squeezed Pippin's fingers and sang in a clear, strong voice the first happy song that came to mind:  
  
"Why do you build me up Buttercup, baby? Just to let me down and mess me around? And then worst of all you never call, baby, when you say you will, but I love you still! I need you more than anyone, daaaarlin'. You know that I have from the start! So build me up, Buttercup, don't break my heart!"  
  
She smiled at the surprised looks on their faces and kept singing.  
  
"Hey, hey, hey! Baby, baby, I try to find. Hey, hey, hey! A little time and I'll make you mine.. Hey, hey, hey! I'll be home. I'll be beside the phone waiting for you! Ooo-oo-ooo, ooo-oo-ooo!"  
  
Everyone in the group watched with either amused smirks or smiling eyes. Julie's hips swayed as she walked, and her shoulders rocked from side to side. She swung Pippin's arm along with the rhythm  
  
"Why do you build me up Buttercup, baby? Just to let me down and mess me around? And then worst of all you never call, baby, when you say you will, but I love you still! I need you more than anyone, daaaarlin'. You know that I have from the start! So build me up, Buttercup, don't break my heaaart!"  
  
She finished with a flourish.  
  
"I need you more than anyone, darling! You know it from the start! Build me up, Buttercup, don't break my heart!" Pippin sung out and blushed bright red. Julie was pleasantly surprised at how quickly he caught on to the words; there was real, raw musical talent there. Who would have thought .?  
  
"Good, Pippin!" Julie laughed and smiled at him. She noticed even Frodo's sullen face brightened slightly.  
  
"Ooo-oo-ooo, ooo-oo-ooo." He sung quietly to himself. He lifted the ring he wore on a chain so the ring's weight stopped thumping against his chest when he walked. Julie watched as he fingered the piece of jewelry for a thoughtful moment before he tucked it beneath his shirt.  
  
That ring. Julie blinked. What was so special about it? It was only a thick gold band. And gold really couldn't be so expensive in Middle Earth that anyone would be willing to kill to have a simple ring.  
  
It was just a simple ring, right? She wondered. Unless it was cursed. Or belonged to some psychotic ogre. Did it belong to someone evil? Was the ring itself evil? Julie almost laughed. Oh yeah. Evil jewelry! Like it was going to try and kill her in her sleep. What could a little piece of metal do anyway, except turn her finger green?  
  
"We must camp here for the night. I doubt we could find any better of a spot before we are at the mercy of the night." Aragorn stopped near a small clearing. The surrounding shrubbery was short enough to see over, but high enough to provide shelter from wandering eyes.  
  
"A fine spot, Aragorn. My bones have long since grown heavy and appreciate a rest." Gandalf smiled and eased himself onto the blanket Merry rolled onto a flat patch of grass.  
  
"We need firewood." Boromir suggested.  
  
"I'll help look for some?" Julie volunteered.  
  
"Not alone. Boromir, go with her." Aragorn ordered lightly. He knew he was meddling in affairs not concerning him. But he feared the fire of Legolas' gaze when he looked upon Julie. It was the same fire he had seen so long ago in the eyes of his own beloved. Burying the pain that stabbed his chest like a red dagger, Aragorn prayed no other human should suffer the same affliction of the heart. True love was not possible between mortals and Elves. Only pain came of it. He did not wish such sorrow upon Julie. One day, she would die and leave the sickened earth for the great bright hall of men, while Legolas would sail to the Undying Lands of the West. The confliction was all too familiar. The bitter taste of blood saturated his mouth as he bit the inside of his cheek. The physical pain distracted him from a heartache he felt he would never be rid of. "Gimli, they may be in need of your ax."  
  
"Aye." The Dwarf nodded. He followed Boromir and Julie from the campsite.  
  
"Why do you build me up, Buttercup baby, just to let me down?" Pippin sung softly as he unfolded a bedroll.  
  
"And mess me around." Merry echoed, straightening the bedroll.  
  
"I need you more than anyone, darlin'." Frodo added with an impish grin.  
  
"You know I have from the start! So build me up Buttercup." Sam laughed as he tossed a bedroll at Frodo.  
  
~Don't break my heart~ Legolas finished silently. 


	15. Chp 15: A Storm Brews

Title: The Road is Destiny  
  
Author: Firefly Lantern  
  
Rating: PG-13 for language and violence  
  
Author Note: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed and who is staying with the story! I'll try not to take too many liberties with the Tolkienverse.  
  
Disclaimer: JRR owns the LOTR characters. Any other modern things mentioned here belong to the makers, etc.  
  
Oh, and P.S. I FINALLY UPDATED! Yahoo! My apologizes to everyone who has been waiting for the next chapter. The summer's been so crazy with work, not to mention my computer mouse died and it took me forever to get a new one. Oops. Thanks everyone! You rock!  
  
Oh, and nancerpants is a word now!  
  
_The Road is Destiny_  
  
"Camp is not far, little scrap." Gimli's disembodied voice floated above the violent shaking of an overgrown shrub. The forest foliage completely hid his little body from Julie's sight. His muffled voice was the lifeline Julie clung to so she wouldn't get lost. She was grateful that Gimli wasn't shy about telling the forest just how much he hated it. Julie was about to start swearing, too, because the firewood stacked in her arms got heavier with every step she trudged. The once cheery little hunt for wood had somehow turned into a punishing walk of shame that mocked Julie for being a couch potato her entire life. She vowed to pay her dues to the exercise gods if she made it back to camp alive.  
  
Oh man, she was tired. Julie grunted and swallowed a yawn. Heck, she wasn't just tired, she was tired and annoyed. And worse. Boromir didn't understand the concept of personal space. He followed her so closely, she physically felt his gaze crawling over her body like a cockroach wiggling down the back her shirt. She shuddered. Boromir was an honourable and noble man, but he was still a man she didn't love. He deserved a woman who could return his feelings and reciprocate every small gesture of love. Blah blah blah. Love. What a stupid, useless idea. Julie snorted. She didn't realize her mouth was curled into a snarling frown until Pippin squeaked at her in fear.  
  
"What?" Julie blinked. Oh no. She was back at camp and already snarling at the Hobbits. Merry, Sam, Frodo, and Pippin watched her with uncertain expressions on their confused faces. "Oh, hi! Don't mind me. This firewood is heavy. Phew!" Her smile was wide; her laugh was light. She made it back!  
  
"Gimme that!" Merry clucked his tongue and took the biggest branch from her bundle.  
  
"Silly girl." Pippin stuck out his tongue and scolded Julie. His serious expression melted into a beaming grin when Julie closed on eye and stuck out her tongue in reply.  
  
"Goofy Hobbit!"  
  
"Goofy? . Am I really goofy? Er, what does it mean?"  
  
"You're funny."  
  
"Ha ha! I'm goofy! I'm goofy!" Pippin exclaimed happily, dancing around the spot where the other Hobbits were trying building a fire.  
  
"Pippin! Go be goofy someplace else, you nancerpants!" Frodo shooed him away.  
  
"Takes you a rest, Miss Julie. We've laid your bed out proper." Sam bowed in his best courtly fashion. He would make a wonderful little gentleman. Julie giggled and waved a fluttering hand in front of her face to hide her hysterically corny smile brought on by lack of sleep. Hell, even mud would be funny now, she snorted. And smiled at the thought.  
  
"You look tired." Frodo said gently. His little smile didn't add sparkle to the dullness of his eyes. Did he know how tired *he* looked? His skin was dull, his shoulders drooped with tension, and his voice sounded rough.  
  
"You need a good rest too, Frodo." Julie ruffled his hair and patted his cheek. "Don't give up, kiddo. We'll all be rested in the morning." Julie smiled at him once more before she fell to the ground as if her legs were made of jelly. She purred as every muscle in her body relaxed and pressed against the thick blanket on ground. Who knew the earth could be so comfortable? Her eyelids drooped and became too heavy for her to keep open a moment longer. The empty arms of sleep stretched forward from oblivion to pull her into the dark chasm of slumber, but the hushed, near voices were an anchor for her wandering mind.  
  
"Hurry with the tea, Sam!" Pippin chattered.  
  
"I'm cooking the potatoes now!" Samwise said indignantly.  
  
"I'm making the tea." Frodo huffed. "Pippin, worry about your bacon."  
  
"Always do!" Pippin sighed, blissfully in love with his cooking.  
  
Their voices faded as Julie fell asleep. Her brain purged the day's frustrations by bombarding her dreams with strange images. She saw her mother and Patrick sitting together at the old table in their small, crappy, out-dated kitchen. Their sad, distant faces made Julie feel lost. She wanted to talk to them, but no sounds came out when she opened her mouth.  
  
"I didn't forget the milk for your cereal!" She screamed through her wide eyes. Her mouth gaped mutely.  
  
A white flash of lightning flared and illuminated a frighteningly different scene: Solace in a darkened forest. Shadows pulled at her hair and touched her face. They wanted to recognize the girl they were seeking. In panic, Julie swatted them away and looked for a safe haven. Her head tilted backward as a bolt of lightening shattered the night into a thousand pieces. Raindrops hung in the darkness like small diamonds scattered across a velvet cloth. The beads of water moved so slowly, Julie tried to count each and every one. Another bolt of lightening hastened the flow of time to its usual, chaotic speed. The rainfall bathed her; the water blessed her. Then, she began to drown.  
  
She sat up, coughing and holding her aching chest.  
  
"Tea, Julie." Frodo offered. "It's hot, don't burn yourself." He warned. Julie nodded and blindly held out her hands. Her fingertips brushed the surface of a warm metal cup. Was she half-asleep or half-awake? Maybe both?  
  
Julie lifted to cup to rest against her chin. She sniffed the deliciously strong steam dancing from the surface of the hot liquid and took a cautious sip. The tea burnt the tip of her tongue, but it warmed the rest of her body. She yawned into the empty cup and stretched. Her tummy was full and her bed was warm. Her shoulders sagged and she leaned backward, intent on returning to sleep.  
  
"Not yet! Not before you eat your supper." Pippin pleaded. "Potatoes, bacon, and tomatoes." He presented a plate to Julie and hovered over her until she passed her judgment on the meal.  
  
"Mmmm. Delicious!" She said happily, closing her eyes to savor the taste. Dear Lord, when was the last time she'd eaten anything? Her current dinner was much more appealing than the twigs and grass she was hungrily eyeing earlier in the day. She snuggled the blanket around her Indian-style bent legs and dug into the hearty meal. When she lifted her head her eyes unintentionally caught Legolas staring at her.  
  
His gaze was as piercing as an arrow and just as easily took flight toward her. She felt the full, melancholy weight of his gaze and her brow creased in compassion before she quickly turned her head away. As much as he tried to hide his emotions, his eyes always gave him away. Longing, sadness, and hopelessness were eloquently revealed in those icy clear eyes. Julie blamed herself for his pain. She loved him, didn't she? She owed her life to him, didn't she? So why didn't she let go of her fears and talk to him?  
  
Building up her nerve, Julie set down her plate and squared her shoulders. This was it, she told herself. She walked to the far end of the camp were the firelight barely touched, to where Legolas stood leaning thoughtfully against the trunk of a large tree. Her skirt brushed up a pile of leaves as she stopped a few feet away to watch him.  
  
Legolas, of course, had heard Julie's approach from the first step. There was a graceful rhythm to her stride he could recognize if his eyes were closed. The cadence of her soft footsteps mingled with the beating of his heart. He made a show of not noticing her presence by staring blankly into the darkness of the cloaked evening. If he looked at her, his eyes would betray how much he truly loved her.  
  
"Legolas?" Her voice was a bittersweet song to his ears.  
  
Julie sniffled quietly and scratched her neck. Could he tell she was nervous?  
  
"Julie." Legolas didn't turn to her.  
  
"Hi. How are you? I didn't get to talk much to you today."  
  
"I'm okay." He finally turned and offered a small smile. Julie stopped inspecting her shoes and peeked up at him. His smile broadened. "Remember the surprise I promised to give you?" He wanted to give Julie something beautiful to remember him by, but he had nothing fancy. The small creation he cradled in his palm was the only token he could give her.  
  
"Yes?" Julie said softly, stepping forward.  
  
Legolas opened his mouth to speak, but the ear-splitting boom of a lightning bolt striking a nearby tree interrupted him. Without warning, the sky churned and poured forth torrents of cold, biting water.  
  
"Saruman!" Gandalf cried out as the cracked tree moaned and toppled downward, falling against another tree. The heaving momentum sent both trees crashing to the ground through the middle of the camp.  
  
"Mr. Frodo! Where are you?" Sam wailed.  
  
"Frodo!" Aragorn bellowed. "Frodo!"  
  
"I'm here!" Julie heard Frodo's terror-taut voice. She hiccupped in fear and would have run to help search for him, but Legolas' hand was an iron clamp on her elbow. Another bolt of lightning sparked from the heavens, this time striking the ground eerily close to where she stood. Her eyes went wide in shock. Didn't lightning usually hit trees first?! What the heck was going on here? Eris screeched at the commotion; Bill whinnied in fright. Aragorn and Boromir shouted orders to the others.  
  
Oh no, the Hobbits! Julie had to help them!  
  
"No! We must go other way!" Legolas commanded, holding her against his body. His hair whipped in the fierce current of wind blowing forcefully at his face. He squinted and pulled Julie after him.  
  
"But. the others!" She choked against the violent sheets of rain and the angry groaning of the wind. Her entire body was soaked with water, which made Legolas hold onto her rain-slicked hand in a crushing grip. He sure wasn't going to lose her anytime soon! She grimaced in pain.  
  
Julie stumbled as low-hanging branches caught in her hair and scratched at her face. She used her free arm to cover her face the best she could manage while Legolas tugged at her other arm, urging her to a faster run. She screamed as lightning hammered the forest around them, breaking down trees as if they were matchsticks.  
  
Legolas kneeled into a deep ditch formed beneath a small clump of short trees. He pulled Julie against the earth with him and removed his cloak. Deftly, he used the heavy material to cover both of them. Julie had no clue if they were safe, but she willingly allowed herself to be wrapped in his arms and pressed against the warmth of his body. Her cheek pressed against the firm plane of his chest; her ear was greeted by the quick beating of his heart. Cold shivers made Julie tremble. Let the others be all right, she prayed. 


	16. Chapter 16: Nature's Enchantment

Title: The Road is Destiny

Author: Firefly Lantern

Rating: PG-13 for language and violence

Author Note: Author Note: DANG! I went entirely TOO LONG without an update! As an apology to everyone, this chapter is full of romance. And plenty of Legolas!

Disclaimer: JRR owns the LOTR characters. Any other modern things mentioned here belong to the makers, etc.

Oh, and P.S. Thanks to everyone for hanging in here with me. You all are more awesome and beautiful than you know! ;0). And onto the story…

The Road is Destiny

Terror.

The night screamed in terror, Julie thought.

The wind and the rain raged as if carried on the breath of a hateful chant. Julie barely heard the deep bass drone that wove beneath the ominous tones of the storm. Her body shook violently against the wet and the cold. Legolas stroked Julie's back and spoke to her in the beautifully foreign language of the Elves. His voice and his touch became an anchor that kept her from being swept up and carried away by the chaos of the storm. Julie heard the sharp whip-snap and rumble of thunder beyond the damp cocoon of the blanket. Exhaustion settled into her body like a cold draft seeping through the walls of an old house. Her legs jerked in random spasms of shivers to keep her both warm and awake. Fear flowed fiercely through her veins, pumping enough adrenaline to make her feel faint with the excitement of terror. Her breaths felt shallow-- she couldn't gasp in enough oxygen between her chilled lips.

"Legolas…" She whispered. She could not handle everything on her own any anymore; she needed his touch and his comfort. Julie simply didn't have the energy to put on a brave and fearless face. Damn it, she fell through an inter-dimensional wormhole only a few days ago. She deserved some time to feel weak and distraught. How many other people in her position would have been so quick to adjust to the dangerous and strange place called Middle Earth? Sure, a prescription-strength tranquilizer would have sweetly eased her transition, but Julie was strong enough to face everything head on. The mayor of Middle Earth should give her a gold star or a medal for being the Most Adaptable Inter-Dimensional Traveler, she thought.

Legolas shifted himself under the blanket so that his wet forehead pressed against the damp skin of Julie's cheek. She felt the heavy weight of his hair drape into the sensitive crook of her neck. The darkness blinded her eyes and intensified the tactile, absorbing sensation of touch. She felt the muddy grit of the ground beneath her back and the soft texture of Legolas' tunic in front of her. The v-neck of his tunic, she hoped. But hey, it was dark. And if her hand happened to wander lower… She almost laughed aloud, but managed to keep herself settled with a slight nervous giggle. Her nerves were stretched taut as a wire and wound tighter than a spool of thread. Legolas seemed to sense her growing unease. He gently kissed her cheek. His lips grazed her chin before his kiss crowned the tip of her nose.

What is he doing? Trying to brail my face? Julie thought as his lips found their intended mark: her smiling mouth. It was a delicate wisp of a touch at first. Julie couldn't tell if he had even kissed her, or if she was happily hallucinating. He whispered something Elvish into her ear and then drank fully of her lips as if she were a wine meant to be savored lavishly on the tongue. An Elvish tongue to be precise. Julie reached up to stroke the smoothness of his neck. Her fingertips traced the graceful outline of his Elven ear. Even in the dark, Julie could tell he was beautiful. She felt Legolas tremble slightly. Realization struck her. Legolas, the aloof and royal Prince of Mirkwood… had ticklish ears! So so so, he did have a weakness. Ticklish ears, of all things. Julie giggled against the pressure of his mouth. Pride made Legolas use that moment of weakness to his advantage. He kissed her firmly with a passion that belittled the storm beyond the haven of their blanket.

"Julie…" He whispered as his cheek brushed her cheek.

"Yes?" Julie sighed, drunk with exhaustion and the overwhelming swarm of emotions Legolas stirred within her.

"The rain has stopped."

"Oh." Was all she could vocalize. It came out in a breathy but blunt tone. Yes, the rain had stopped… and so had Legolas. This just proved to Julie that the God or Gods of Middle Earth were mischievous and had a taxing sense of humor. Legolas deftly moved to stand. In one skilled movement, he took Julie with him and whipped the cloak-blanket from them, causing the leaves and small branches that rested on it to scatter to the muddy ground. Yes, Legolas looked gorgeous even when coated from Elf ears to boot tips in mud. Julie watched his breath curl from his mouth in a cloud of silver vapor that caught thickly in the shining moonlight. His head tilted from side to side with the focused movement of a cat. His eyes lay in the shadows of his face, but Julie could tell by the tense set of his jaw and his shoulders that he heard somethingthat put him on edge.

"You really hate the dark, don't you?" She blurted without thinking. Her teeth clenched at the abruptness of her comment. She wished she hadn't said it so precisely and matter-of-factly. "It is all right. I'm not such a big fan of it, either."

"It is not the dark I fear… but what unseen evil creeps within it." He replied. His voice softened, "Fortunately, all that creeps now is a great and lumbering Dwarf by the name of Gimli." Julie saw the white crescent of his smile blossom in the moonlight as he took her hands and gently squeezed her fingers. "Lady… I made a promise to protect you and keep you safe. I swear I will stand bravely by my word. I have a … fondness for you born of that pledge. I apologize for my … methods of distracting you from the storm."

"Apology accepted, but not necessary." Julie was too preoccupied with trying to decipher the emotions of his shadowed face that she did not notice him place something under the curve of wrist. She glanced down to see a delicately and beautifully braided bracelet that still had yet to be knotted into a final circle. It lay as a single woven strand in his palm. "It's… moonlight/" Julie breathed, bending her neck forward to get a better glimpse at the bracelet. It radiated an ethereal silver glow in the faint light. "It looks like…" She could not find the words.

"The hair of Elves is an enchantment unto itself. Sun. Moon. Wind. Rain. Forest." Legolas explained gently. "This charm will never break and cannot be cut with a knife unless you will it so. This token is kin to my promise—it will never break and cannot be broken by any force. If you need help, I will protect you. If you become lost, I will find you. Upon this vow I swear my heart and my deepest loyalty." He bowed slightly. Humbly.

"Legolas…" Julie could not find the words, so she instead reached out to him. As her lips neared his, a gruff grunt of dissatisfaction took her by surprise.

"Julie! Lass, are you safe? Where is that pansy-nancing Legolas? Can you hear me?" Gimli's voice resonated and rolled across the dark distance somewhere behind Julie. Yes, the Gods of Middle Earth were cruel and Gimli was their evil little creeping minion. Julie let her forehead fall upon Legolas' chest with a sigh of dramatic defeat. She and Legolas shared a chuckle before Julie cleared her throat and turned her headin Gimli's direction.

"Here! We are over here! Follow my voice!" She threw the shout at him. She turned to Legolas and dropped her voice."I accept your vow.' Her eyes fell upon the bracelet that had yet to be finished. Legolas nodded crisply and adeptly knotted the silver cord to rest in a perfectly fitting circle on her wrist.

"Come. The creeping creatures of the forest grow restless." Legolas squeezed her hand and lead her toward the sound of Gimli's dragon-like snorts of impatience.


End file.
